Compare towns
Olean vs Ellicott vs Allegany
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).
Ellicott has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.6%).
Allegany has the most expensive homes ($169k 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 | Ellicott | Allegany |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,738Highest |
8,659 |
7,410Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6% NY: +4.2% |
+0.6%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-6.4%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 39±2.6 about the NY average |
45.3±3.1Highest 14% above NY |
37.4±4.1Lowest 6% below NY |
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±2.9Highest NY: 20.5% |
20.7%±3.2 NY: 20.5% |
15.1%±2.5Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Olean and Ellicott 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% |
24.1%±3.2Highest NY: 17.9% |
20.5%±2.7 NY: 17.9% |
| Ellicott and Allegany 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% |
27.7%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
34.2%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 NY: 7% |
2.4%±0.9Lowest NY: 7% |
23.4%±1.7Highest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $51,261±$7kLowest 40% below NY |
$60,880±$7k 29% below NY |
$72,500±$15kHighest 16% below NY |
| Allegany and Ellicott 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 |
$120,700±$10k 72% below NY |
$169,400±$13kHighest 60% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52 51% below NY |
$875±$46Highest 46% below NY |
$728±$56Lowest 55% below NY |
| Ellicott and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,130 52% below NY |
$2,662Lowest 60% below NY |
$3,986Highest 39% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1Highest NY: 52.1% |
46.5%±9.3Lowest NY: 52.1% |
48.6%±7.6 NY: 52.1% |
| Olean and Allegany 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% |
11%Lowest NY: 14% |
15% NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
71.9% NY: 54.3% |
80.3%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1955 4 yrs older than NY |
1971Highest 12 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 56% below NY |
16 min 52% below NY |
20 minHighest 40% below NY |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6 NY: 14.9% |
6.2%±2.1Lowest NY: 14.9% |
9.7%±3.5Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Allegany and Olean 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 | #203 of 484 in NY | #161 of 484 in NY |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | FALCONER CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · SOUTHWESTERN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT AT JAMESTOWN | ALLEGANY-LIMESTONE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | FALCONER MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL | ALLEGANY-LIMESTONE MIDDLE-HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
10.5 |
9.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 1 photos → | 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.