What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Ellery has the most expensive homes ($236k 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.

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

Measure	Olean	Ellery
People
Population	13,738Highest	4,073Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.6%Highest NY: +4.2%	-9%Lowest NY: +4.2%
Median age	39±2.6Lowest about the NY average	56.1±4.5Highest 41% above NY
Kids under 18	23.5%±2.9Highest NY: 20.5%	14.3%±3.8Lowest NY: 20.5%
Age 65+	19.1%±2.5Lowest NY: 17.9%	30.8%±6.6Highest NY: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	29.9%Lowest NY: 40.2%	40%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.6%±1.1Lowest NY: 7%	4.4%±2.2Highest NY: 7%
	Ellery 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	$86,833±$12kHighest about the NY average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$86,100±$6kLowest 80% below NY	$235,900±$29kHighest 44% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$794±$52Lowest 51% below NY	$845±$189Highest 48% below NY
	Ellery 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	$3,796Highest 42% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52%±9.1Highest NY: 52.1%	35.9%±16.8Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Olean and Ellery 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%	9.2%Lowest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	55.1%Lowest NY: 54.3%	89.5%Highest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY	1967Highest 8 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	14 minLowest 56% below NY	23 minHighest 29% below NY
Work from home	8.4%±2.6Highest NY: 14.9%	4.5%±2.4Lowest NY: 14.9%
	Olean and Ellery 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	#241 of 484 in NY
School district	OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT	BEMUS POINT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL	MAPLE GROVE JUNIOR/SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Students per teacherat that high school	12.2Highest	7.6Lowest
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.