Compare towns
Olean vs Mendon vs Waltham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Olean has the most affordable homes ($86k median).
Mendon has the most people working from home (22.5%).
Waltham has the oldest population (median age 60.8).
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 | Mendon | Waltham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,738Highest |
1,113 |
452Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 39±2.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
53.4±10.5 37% above U.S. |
60.8±7.3Highest 56% above U.S. |
| Waltham and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
45.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Olean and Mendon 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 37% below U.S. |
$100,524±$23kHighest 25% above U.S. |
$97,500±$14k 21% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $86,100±$6kLowest 74% below U.S. |
$357,000±$44kHighest 7% above U.S. |
$329,700±$51k about the U.S. average |
| Mendon and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$1,230±$651Highest 13% below U.S. |
$1,096±$113 22% below U.S. |
| Mendon and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,130Lowest about the U.S. average |
$5,342 71% above U.S. |
$5,714Highest 83% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
29.2%±58.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
17 min 36% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mendon and Waltham 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 |
U.S. 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.