Compare towns
Olean vs Brighton vs Hadley
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 shortest commute (14 min average).
Brighton has the most renters (48.9% rent).
Hadley has the most people working from home (24.2%).
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 | Brighton | Hadley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,738Highest |
1,167Lowest |
2,074 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±2.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.2±11.6 16% above U.S. |
54.1±3Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Hadley and Brighton 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% |
18.3%±5.7 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Olean and Brighton 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% |
27.2%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brighton and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
25%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brighton and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $51,261±$7k 37% below U.S. |
$47,375±$21kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$73,750±$32kHighest 9% below U.S. |
| Hadley and Olean 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. |
$163,900±$39k 51% below U.S. |
$194,200±$30kHighest 42% below U.S. |
| Hadley and Brighton 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. |
$775±$33Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$900±$293Highest 36% below U.S. |
| Hadley and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,130 about the U.S. average |
$3,360Highest 8% above U.S. |
$2,375Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
55%±17Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.3%±17Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brighton and Olean 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% |
22% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
51.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
31 min 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±8.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.2%±23.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hadley and Brighton 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 | Brighton School District | — |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.