What stands out worked out from the figures below

Olean has the most kids (23.5% under 18).

Middlebury has the most expensive homes ($410k median).

Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Olean	Middlebury
People
Population	13,738Highest	9,175Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	39±2.6Highest about the U.S. average	31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S.
Kids under 18	23.5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22%	11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	19.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	20.7%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Middlebury 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$51,261±$7kLowest 37% below U.S.	$86,169±$16kHighest 7% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$86,100±$6kLowest 74% below U.S.	$409,700±$30kHighest 23% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$794±$52Lowest 44% below U.S.	$1,156±$113Highest 18% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,130Lowest about the U.S. average	$6,868Highest 120% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52%±9.1Highest U.S.: 51.1%	50.9%±14.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Olean and Middlebury 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%	10.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	65.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.	1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	14 minLowest 45% below U.S.	16 minHighest 41% below U.S.
Work from home	8.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#337 of 484 in NY	#17 of 70 in VT
School district	OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT	Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55
High school in town	OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL	Middlebury Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.2Lowest	12.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.