Compare towns
Olean vs Eden vs Massena
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 shortest commute (14 min average).
Eden has the most expensive homes ($263k 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 | Eden | Massena |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,738Highest |
7,546Lowest |
10,238 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6% NY: +4.2% |
-1.5%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-7.2%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 39±2.6Lowest about the NY average |
42.6±5.3Highest 7% above NY |
42.6±4.7Highest 7% above NY |
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±2.9Highest NY: 20.5% |
22.4%±3.8 NY: 20.5% |
19.4%±3.4Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Olean and Eden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±2.5Lowest NY: 17.9% |
19.7%±3.2 NY: 17.9% |
20.4%±3.3Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Massena and Eden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.9% NY: 40.2% |
34.8%Highest NY: 40.2% |
25.1%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 NY: 7% |
4.9%±1.7Highest NY: 7% |
2.9%±1.4Lowest NY: 7% |
| Eden 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 |
$97,262±$11kHighest 13% above NY |
$51,458±$7k 40% below NY |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $86,100±$6kLowest 80% below NY |
$263,100±$28kHighest 38% below NY |
$94,400±$15k 78% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52 51% below NY |
$1,035±$427Highest 36% below NY |
$722±$44Lowest 55% below NY |
| Eden and Olean 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 |
$5,680Highest 14% below NY |
$3,218 51% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1Lowest NY: 52.1% |
53.4%±26.1 NY: 52.1% |
57.8%±11.4Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Massena and Eden 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% |
9.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
24.3% NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
89.7%Highest NY: 54.3% |
55.4% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1960Highest 1 yr newer than NY |
1954 5 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 56% below NY |
25 minHighest 23% below NY |
18 min 45% below NY |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6Highest NY: 14.9% |
8.1%±3.6 NY: 14.9% |
5.2%±2.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Olean and Eden 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 | #147 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | EDEN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | EDEN MIDDLE & HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
10.8Lowest |
— |
| 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.