Compare towns
Olean vs Gerry vs Hancock 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (-3.6%).
Gerry has the highest household income ($69k).
Hancock has the most expensive homes ($161k 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 | Gerry | Hancock | Massena |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,738Highest |
1,668Lowest |
2,769 |
10,238 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-6.5% NY: +4.2% |
-14.3%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-7.2% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 39±2.6Lowest about the NY average |
52.4±5.7 32% above NY |
54.3±5.7Highest 36% above NY |
42.6±4.7 7% above NY |
| Hancock and Gerry 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% |
20.9%±3.9 NY: 20.5% |
14.4%±3.6Lowest NY: 20.5% |
19.4%±3.4 NY: 20.5% |
| Olean and Gerry 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% |
29.9%±3.1Highest NY: 17.9% |
29.9%±5.7Highest NY: 17.9% |
20.4%±3.3 NY: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.9%Highest NY: 40.2% |
23.4% NY: 40.2% |
22.4%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
25.1% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Highest NY: 7% |
3.4%±2.3 NY: 7% |
3%±1.6 NY: 7% |
2.9%±1.4Lowest NY: 7% |
| Olean and Gerry 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 |
$68,667±$12kHighest 20% below NY |
$62,243±$11k 28% below NY |
$51,458±$7k 40% below NY |
| Gerry and Hancock 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 |
$119,200±$10k 72% below NY |
$161,100±$8kHighest 62% below NY |
$94,400±$15k 78% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52 51% below NY |
$1,138±$260Highest 30% below NY |
$1,052±$172 35% below NY |
$722±$44Lowest 55% below NY |
| Gerry and Hancock 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 |
$2,606 60% below NY |
$2,584Lowest 61% below NY |
$3,218Highest 51% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1Lowest NY: 52.1% |
61.2%±16.1Highest NY: 52.1% |
59%±13.1 NY: 52.1% |
57.8%±11.4 NY: 52.1% |
| Gerry and Hancock 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%Lowest NY: 14% |
13% NY: 14% |
24.3% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
75.2% NY: 54.3% |
76.4%Highest NY: 54.3% |
55.4% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1967Highest 8 yrs newer than NY |
1960 1 yr newer than NY |
1954 5 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 56% below NY |
27 min 17% below NY |
30 minHighest 8% below NY |
18 min 45% below NY |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6Highest NY: 14.9% |
6.2%±4.2 NY: 14.9% |
7%±4.3 NY: 14.9% |
5.2%±2.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Olean and Hancock 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 | — | #471 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | CASSADAGA VALLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | HANCOCK CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | CASSADAGA VALLEY MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL | HANCOCK JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
8.7Lowest |
8.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.