Compare towns
Olean vs Danby vs Waltham
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).
Danby has the most homeowners (89.3%).
Waltham has the most people working from home (20.6%).
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 | Danby | Waltham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,738Highest |
1,133 |
452Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 39±2.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
52.6±4.8 35% above U.S. |
60.8±7.3Highest 56% above U.S. |
| Waltham and Danby 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% |
14.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
45.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
39%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Olean and Waltham 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. |
$77,321±$13k 4% below U.S. |
$97,500±$14kHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Waltham and Danby 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. |
$272,400±$41k 18% below U.S. |
$329,700±$51kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Waltham and Danby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$794±$166Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$1,096±$113Highest 22% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,130Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,543 46% above U.S. |
$5,714Highest 83% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.4%±34.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
29.2%±58.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Olean and Danby 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% |
9.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Waltham and Danby 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 | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 | — |
| 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.