Compare towns
Olean vs Middlesex vs Gerry vs Massena
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 shortest commute (14 min average).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Gerry has the oldest population (median age 52.4).
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 | Middlesex | Gerry | Massena |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,738Highest |
1,943 |
1,668Lowest |
10,238 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±2.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
52.4±5.7Highest 35% above U.S. |
42.6±4.7 10% above U.S. |
| Gerry and Middlesex 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% |
21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Olean and Middlesex 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% |
20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.9%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Middlesex 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±$7kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$109,632±$13kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$68,667±$12k 15% below U.S. |
$51,458±$7k 36% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $86,100±$6kLowest 74% below U.S. |
$376,300±$40kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$119,200±$10k 64% below U.S. |
$94,400±$15k 72% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52 44% below U.S. |
$1,333±$359Highest 6% below U.S. |
$1,138±$260 19% below U.S. |
$722±$44Lowest 49% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and Gerry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,130 about the U.S. average |
$6,483Highest 108% above U.S. |
$2,606Lowest 16% below U.S. |
$3,218 3% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.2%±16.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.8%±11.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gerry and Massena 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% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9% U.S.: 12.5% |
24.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
55.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1954 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
18 min 32% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.2%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #337 of 484 in NY | — | — | — |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | CASSADAGA VALLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | CASSADAGA VALLEY MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
— | 8.7Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.