What stands out worked out from the figures below

Olean has the most people working from home (8.4%).

Dunkirk has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.4%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Olean	Dunkirk
People
Population	13,738Highest	12,549Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.6%Lowest NY: +4.2%	+1.4%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	39±2.6Lowest about the NY average	43.7±3.1Highest 10% above NY
	Dunkirk and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	23.5%±2.9Highest NY: 20.5%	20%±2.8Lowest NY: 20.5%
	Olean and Dunkirk 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%	19.1%±2.3 NY: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	29.9%Highest NY: 40.2%	16.4%Lowest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.6%±1.1Lowest NY: 7%	4.3%±1.5Highest NY: 7%
	Dunkirk 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	$53,299±$6kHighest 38% below NY
	Dunkirk 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 80% below NY	$94,700±$6kHighest 78% below NY
	Dunkirk and Olean 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	$866±$81Highest 47% below NY
	Dunkirk and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,130Highest 52% below NY	$2,352Lowest 64% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52%±9.1Highest NY: 52.1%	46.6%±7.7Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Olean and Dunkirk 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%	24.3%Lowest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	55.1%Lowest NY: 54.3%	58.5%Highest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY	1941Highest 18 yrs older than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	14 minLowest 56% below NY	19 minHighest 42% below NY
Work from home	8.4%±2.6Highest NY: 14.9%	4.5%±2Lowest NY: 14.9%
	Olean and Dunkirk 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	#465 of 484 in NY
School district	OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT	DUNKIRK CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL	DUNKIRK SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Students per teacherat that high school	12.2Highest	9.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.