Compare towns
Olean vs Orwell vs Whiting
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).
Orwell has the most homeowners (87.3%).
Whiting has the highest household income ($91k).
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 | Orwell | Whiting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,738Highest |
1,294 |
532Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 39±2.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
47.5±7Highest 22% above U.S. |
39.6±2.7 about the U.S. average |
| Orwell and Whiting 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% |
21.8%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±6.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
24%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Orwell 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Whiting 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. |
$70,417±$22k 13% below U.S. |
$91,250±$38kHighest 13% above U.S. |
| Whiting and Orwell 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. |
$335,600±$25kHighest about the U.S. average |
$280,400±$36k 16% below U.S. |
| Orwell and Whiting 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. |
$1,105±$51 22% below U.S. |
$1,204±$519Highest 15% below U.S. |
| Whiting and Orwell 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 |
$3,914 25% above U.S. |
$4,227Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±35.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±37.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Orwell and Whiting 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% |
10.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Orwell and Whiting 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 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | None in town |
| 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.