Compare towns
Olean vs Plainfield vs Worcester vs Allegany
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).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
Allegany has the youngest population (median age 37.4).
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 | Plainfield | Worcester | Allegany |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,738Highest |
1,314 |
831Lowest |
7,410 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±2.6 about the U.S. average |
48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
47±2.7 21% above U.S. |
37.4±4.1Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Worcester 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% |
16.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Olean and Plainfield 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% |
21.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainfield and Allegany 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% |
48.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
53%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±4.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
23.4%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $51,261±$7kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$69,250±$31k 14% below U.S. |
$73,833±$18kHighest 9% below U.S. |
$72,500±$15k 10% below U.S. |
| Worcester and Allegany 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. |
$318,400±$34kHighest 4% below U.S. |
$271,100±$27k 19% below U.S. |
$169,400±$13k 49% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Worcester 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±$103Highest 18% below U.S. |
$1,023±$136 28% below U.S. |
$728±$56Lowest 48% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Worcester 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 |
$4,806Highest 54% above U.S. |
$4,421 42% above U.S. |
$3,986 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25.5%±37Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±7.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield 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% |
11.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
20 min 26% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.7%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Worcester and Plainfield 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 | — | — | #161 of 484 in NY |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | ALLEGANY-LIMESTONE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — | None in town | ALLEGANY-LIMESTONE MIDDLE-HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
— | — | 9.6Lowest |
| 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.