Compare towns
Olean vs Benson vs Cavendish vs Weston Mills
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Olean has the most affordable homes ($86k median).
Benson has the most people working from home (18.6%).
Cavendish has the most expensive homes ($285k median).
Weston Mills has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Olean | Benson | Cavendish | Weston Mills |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,738Highest |
784Lowest |
1,242 |
1,431 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±2.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
51.9±9.4 33% above U.S. |
45.2±5.9 16% above U.S. |
54.3±4.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
| Weston Mills and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
12.7%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Olean and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.6%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
32.4%±4.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Weston Mills and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Benson and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $51,261±$7kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$78,625±$8k about the U.S. average |
$89,063±$29kHighest 10% above U.S. |
$79,712±$18k about the U.S. average |
| Cavendish and Weston Mills are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $86,100±$6kLowest 74% below U.S. |
$242,000±$26k 27% below U.S. |
$285,100±$40kHighest 14% below U.S. |
$155,300±$23k 53% below U.S. |
| Cavendish and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52 44% below U.S. |
$1,113±$170Highest 21% below U.S. |
$1,000±$546 29% below U.S. |
$775±$177Lowest 45% below U.S. |
| Benson and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,130Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,125Highest 32% above U.S. |
$3,948 27% above U.S. |
$3,393 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.4%±35.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
28.9%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
63%±28.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Weston Mills and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 26.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
19 min 30% below U.S. |
16 min 38% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.5%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Benson and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #337 of 484 in NY | — | — | — |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | — |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 18 photos → | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.