Compare towns

Olean vs Brookline vs Ripton

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).
Brookline has the most people working from home (20.6%).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).

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.

MeasureOleanBrooklineRipton
People
Population
13,738Highest
531
508Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-3.6%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+1.9%
U.S.: +7.4%
+25.7%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
39±2.6Lowest
about the U.S. average
45.1±2.7
16% above U.S.
47.7±14.2Highest
23% above U.S.
Ripton and Brookline 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%
20%±6
U.S.: 22%
11.8%±6.3Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Olean and Brookline 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%
19.6%±4.2
U.S.: 17.2%
30.5%±7.1Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Ripton and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
29.9%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
41.1%
U.S.: 35.7%
48%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.6%±1.1
U.S.: 6.4%
3.2%±1.6Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
20.1%±6.3Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$51,261±$7kLowest
37% below U.S.
$80,833±$16k
about the U.S. average
$112,917±$15kHighest
40% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$86,100±$6kLowest
74% below U.S.
$290,700±$37k
13% below U.S.
$394,400±$61kHighest
19% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$794±$52Lowest
44% below U.S.
$1,732±$232Highest
23% above U.S.
—
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,130Lowest
about the U.S. average
$5,000Highest
60% above U.S.
$4,915
58% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
52%±9.1
U.S.: 51.1%
47.8%±94.7Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
52.9%±100Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Ripton 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%
6.2%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
8.6%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
55.1%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
84.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
90.9%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1938Lowest
42 yrs older than U.S.
1975Highest
5 yrs older than U.S.
1973
7 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
14 minLowest
45% below U.S.
28 minHighest
8% above U.S.
24 min
9% below U.S.
Work from home
8.4%±2.6Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
20.6%±5.2Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
17.2%±8.7
U.S.: 15.1%
Brookline and Ripton 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 — Addison Central Unified Union School District #55
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.