Compare towns
Olean vs Middlebury vs Strafford
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).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Strafford has the most homeowners (88.9%).
Middlebury is a college town. 40.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Middlebury | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,738Highest |
7,220 |
1,372Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±2.6 about the U.S. average |
23.7±1.3Lowest 39% below U.S. |
51.4±4.7Highest 32% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Olean and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Strafford and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
61.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
40.9%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $51,261±$7kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$86,250±$18k 7% above U.S. |
$110,833±$19kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Middlebury 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. |
$417,400±$31k 25% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Middlebury 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. |
$1,201±$120Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,125±$789 20% below U.S. |
| Middlebury and Strafford 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 |
$6,795 118% above U.S. |
$7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.6%±15.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Middlebury 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% |
15.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
56.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
15 min 45% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlebury and Strafford 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 | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.