Compare towns
Olean vs Lake Luzerne vs Olean
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).
Lake Luzerne has the most expensive homes ($223k median).
Olean has the highest household income ($75k).
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 | Lake Luzerne | Olean |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,738Highest |
3,080 |
1,664Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-8%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-4.2% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 39±2.6Lowest about the NY average |
52.5±11.7 32% above NY |
53.8±5.5Highest 35% above NY |
| Olean and Lake Luzerne 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% |
16.4%±5.1 NY: 20.5% |
15.6%±4.5Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Olean and Lake Luzerne 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% |
26.3%±7.2Highest NY: 17.9% |
25.2%±5.1 NY: 17.9% |
| Lake Luzerne and Olean 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% |
25% NY: 40.2% |
23.3%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 NY: 7% |
6.6%±2.6Highest NY: 7% |
2.5%±1.5Lowest NY: 7% |
| Lake Luzerne 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±$7k 40% below NY |
$46,633±$7kLowest 46% below NY |
$74,583±$20kHighest 13% below NY |
| Olean and Olean 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 |
$222,800±$11kHighest 47% below NY |
$158,600±$17k 63% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52 51% below NY |
$951±$48Highest 41% below NY |
$666±$334Lowest 59% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,130 52% below NY |
$2,677Lowest 59% below NY |
$4,027Highest 39% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1Lowest NY: 52.1% |
56.1%±76.1 NY: 52.1% |
57.1%±25.5Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Olean and Lake Luzerne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 26.7% NY: 14% |
33.4%Highest NY: 14% |
16.3%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
81.6%Highest NY: 54.3% |
77.9% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1967Highest 8 yrs newer than NY |
1962 3 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 56% below NY |
26 minHighest 21% below NY |
19 min 43% below NY |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6Highest NY: 14.9% |
4.4%±2.8Lowest NY: 14.9% |
5.8%±4.7 NY: 14.9% |
| Olean 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 | #336 of 484 in NY | #337 of 484 in NY |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | HADLEY-LUZERNE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | HADLEY-LUZERNE JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
7.4Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 5 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.