Compare towns
Olean vs Chenango Bridge vs Peru
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Olean has the most affordable homes ($86k median).
Chenango Bridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (0%).
Peru has the most expensive homes ($203k median).
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 | Chenango Bridge | Peru |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,738Highest |
3,116Lowest |
6,710 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
0%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-3.2% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 39±2.6 about the NY average |
35.9±4.8Lowest 10% below NY |
40.7±3.6Highest about the NY average |
| Peru and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±2.9 NY: 20.5% |
27.3%±6.7Highest NY: 20.5% |
21.8%±3.4Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Chenango Bridge and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±2.5 NY: 17.9% |
23.5%±3.9Highest NY: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.6Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Chenango Bridge and Olean 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 NY: 40.2% |
38.6%Highest NY: 40.2% |
33.2% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 NY: 7% |
3.4%±1.7Lowest NY: 7% |
6.3%±5.4Highest NY: 7% |
| Peru 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±$7kLowest 40% below NY |
$96,250±$27k 12% above NY |
$101,771±$22kHighest 18% above NY |
| Peru and Chenango Bridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $86,100±$6kLowest 80% below NY |
$168,200±$15k 60% below NY |
$203,200±$38kHighest 52% below NY |
| Peru and Chenango Bridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52Lowest 51% below NY |
$1,134±$122Highest 30% below NY |
$1,067±$173 34% below NY |
| Chenango Bridge and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,130Lowest 52% below NY |
$3,661 44% below NY |
$4,357Highest 34% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1Lowest NY: 52.1% |
73.2%±100Highest NY: 52.1% |
54.8%±25.3 NY: 52.1% |
| Chenango Bridge and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 26.7%Highest NY: 14% |
5.6%Lowest NY: 14% |
8.9% NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
88.4%Highest NY: 54.3% |
82.7% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1959 same as NY |
1976Highest 17 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 56% below NY |
24 minHighest 28% below NY |
21 min 37% below NY |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
11.2%±7.8Highest NY: 14.9% |
10.2%±4.7 NY: 14.9% |
| Chenango Bridge and Peru 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 | — | #347 of 484 in NY |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | PERU CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — | PERU HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
— | 11.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NY 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.