Compare towns
Olean vs Ellicott vs Mohawk
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%).
Mohawk has the highest household income ($73k).
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 | Mohawk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,738Highest |
8,659 |
2,520Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6% NY: +4.2% |
+0.6%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-11.6%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 39±2.6Lowest about the NY average |
45.3±3.1 14% above NY |
48.5±4.8Highest 22% above NY |
| Mohawk and Ellicott 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% |
20.7%±3.2 NY: 20.5% |
19.6%±5.2Lowest 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% |
22%±6.1 NY: 17.9% |
| Ellicott and Mohawk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.9%Highest NY: 40.2% |
27.7% NY: 40.2% |
23.5%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Highest NY: 7% |
2.4%±0.9 NY: 7% |
1.9%±1.5Lowest NY: 7% |
| Olean and Ellicott 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 |
$60,880±$7k 29% below NY |
$72,813±$19kHighest 15% below NY |
| Mohawk 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 |
$124,600±$28kHighest 71% below NY |
| Mohawk and Ellicott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52 51% below NY |
$875±$46Highest 46% below NY |
$705±$34Lowest 57% 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 |
$3,380Highest 49% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1Highest NY: 52.1% |
46.5%±9.3 NY: 52.1% |
14.3%±11.9Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Olean and Ellicott 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% |
15.1% NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
71.9%Highest NY: 54.3% |
71.7% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1955Highest 4 yrs older than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 56% below NY |
16 min 52% below NY |
23 minHighest 30% below NY |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6 NY: 14.9% |
6.2%±2.1Lowest NY: 14.9% |
9.9%±4.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Mohawk 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 | — |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | FALCONER CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · SOUTHWESTERN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT AT JAMESTOWN | — |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | FALCONER MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
10.5Lowest |
— |
| 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.