Compare towns
Olean vs Hector vs Hadley
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).
Hector has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.9%).
Hadley has the most people working from home (24.2%).
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 | Hector | Hadley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,738Highest |
4,850 |
2,074Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-0.9%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-3.5% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 39±2.6Lowest about the NY average |
51.1±4 28% above NY |
54.1±3Highest 36% above NY |
| Hadley and Hector 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% |
18%±3.8 NY: 20.5% |
14.4%±3Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Olean and Hector 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% |
25%±5 NY: 17.9% |
26.1%±4.6Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Hadley and Hector 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% |
36.9%Highest NY: 40.2% |
25%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Highest NY: 7% |
3.2%±1.6 NY: 7% |
2.1%±1.8Lowest NY: 7% |
| Olean and Hector 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 |
$79,904±$19kHighest 7% below NY |
$73,750±$32k 14% below NY |
| Hector and Hadley 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 |
$218,700±$32kHighest 48% below NY |
$194,200±$30k 54% below NY |
| Hector and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52Lowest 51% below NY |
$1,083±$525Highest 33% below NY |
$900±$293 44% below NY |
| Hector and Hadley 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 |
$4,072Highest 38% below NY |
$2,375Lowest 64% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1 NY: 52.1% |
81.7%±21.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
44.3%±17Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Hector and Olean 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% |
15.6% NY: 14% |
11.5%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
91.4%Highest NY: 54.3% |
83.7% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1979Highest 20 yrs newer than NY |
1972 13 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 56% below NY |
27 min 18% below NY |
31 minHighest 4% below NY |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
13.6%±4.8 NY: 14.9% |
24.2%±23.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Hadley and Hector 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 | — | — |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | — |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
— | — |
| 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.