Compare towns

Olean vs Middlebury vs Mendon vs Olean

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 kids (23.5% under 18).
Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 31.8).
Mendon has the most people working from home (22.5%).
Olean has the oldest population (median age 53.8).
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.

MeasureOleanMiddleburyMendonOlean
People
Population
13,738Highest
9,175
1,113Lowest
1,664
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-3.6%
U.S.: +7.4%
+7.7%
U.S.: +7.4%
+8.5%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
-4.2%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
39±2.6
about the U.S. average
31.8±3.7Lowest
18% below U.S.
53.4±10.5
37% above U.S.
53.8±5.5Highest
38% above U.S.
Olean 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%
11.6%±1.9Lowest
U.S.: 22%
14.6%±5.2
U.S.: 22%
15.6%±4.5
U.S.: 22%
Age 65+
19.1%±2.5Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
20.7%±2.6
U.S.: 17.2%
29%±1.3Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
25.2%±5.1
U.S.: 17.2%
Mendon 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%
U.S.: 35.7%
55.4%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
49.4%
U.S.: 35.7%
23.3%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.6%±1.1
U.S.: 6.4%
32.6%±1.1Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.1%±2.1
U.S.: 6.4%
2.5%±1.5Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$51,261±$7kLowest
37% below U.S.
$86,169±$16k
7% above U.S.
$100,524±$23kHighest
25% above U.S.
$74,583±$20k
8% below U.S.
Mendon 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.
$409,700±$30kHighest
23% above U.S.
$357,000±$44k
7% above U.S.
$158,600±$17k
52% below U.S.
Middlebury and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$794±$52
44% below U.S.
$1,156±$113
18% below U.S.
$1,230±$651Highest
13% below U.S.
$666±$334Lowest
53% below U.S.
Mendon and Middlebury 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
$6,868Highest
120% above U.S.
$5,342
71% above U.S.
$4,027
29% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
52%±9.1
U.S.: 51.1%
50.9%±14.4Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
88.6%±42.7Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
57.1%±25.5
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%
10.7%
U.S.: 12.5%
8.2%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
16.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
55.1%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
65.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
92.2%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
77.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1938Lowest
42 yrs older than U.S.
1976
4 yrs older than U.S.
1977Highest
3 yrs older than U.S.
1962
18 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
14 minLowest
45% below U.S.
16 min
41% below U.S.
17 min
36% below U.S.
19 minHighest
30% below U.S.
Work from home
8.4%±2.6
U.S.: 15.1%
18.8%±4.1
U.S.: 15.1%
22.5%±8.9Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
5.8%±4.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Mendon and Middlebury 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 — #337 of 484 in NY
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
— —
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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.