Compare towns
Olean vs Pawlet vs Whitingham 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 affordable homes ($86k median).
Pawlet has the most people working from home (20.4%).
Whitingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1%).
Olean has the oldest population (median age 53.8).
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 | Pawlet | Whitingham | Olean |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,738Highest |
1,480 |
1,368Lowest |
1,664 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±2.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
47.9±7.5 23% above U.S. |
46.4±7.1 19% above U.S. |
53.8±5.5Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Olean and Pawlet 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% |
20.3%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Olean and Pawlet 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% |
27.3%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.1%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±5.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Whitingham and Pawlet 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% |
37.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pawlet 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. |
$62,273±$14k 23% below U.S. |
$70,625±$11k 13% below U.S. |
$74,583±$20kHighest 8% below U.S. |
| Olean and Whitingham 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. |
$266,200±$44kHighest 20% below U.S. |
$262,300±$30k 21% below U.S. |
$158,600±$17k 52% below U.S. |
| Pawlet and Whitingham 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. |
$1,153±$215Highest 18% below U.S. |
$673±$150 52% below U.S. |
$666±$334Lowest 53% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,130Lowest about the U.S. average |
$3,924 26% above U.S. |
$5,055Highest 62% above U.S. |
$4,027 29% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.6%±21.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.7%±47.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±25.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Whitingham 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
38 minHighest 44% above U.S. |
19 min 30% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.4%±8.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.7%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.8%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pawlet and Whitingham 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 | — | — | #337 of 484 in NY |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | Mettawee School District #84 | Twin Valley Unified School District #75 | — |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | Twin Valley Middle High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
— | 7.8Lowest |
— |
| 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.