Compare towns
Olean vs Reading vs West Fairlee
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).
Reading has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.2%).
West Fairlee has the most homeowners (91.9%).
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 | Reading | West Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,738Highest |
699Lowest |
711 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±2.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
50.3±7.6 29% above U.S. |
| Reading and West Fairlee 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% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Olean and Reading 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% |
28.2%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| West Fairlee and Reading 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% |
46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Olean and Reading 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. |
$85,000±$19kHighest 5% above U.S. |
$76,500±$16k 5% below U.S. |
| Reading and West Fairlee 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. |
$377,200±$72kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$237,200±$35k 29% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$1,100±$331 22% below U.S. |
$1,113±$171Highest 21% below U.S. |
| West Fairlee and Reading 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 |
$5,754Highest 84% above U.S. |
$5,210 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50%±89.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading 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% |
8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
28 min 7% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.5%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #337 of 484 in NY | — | — |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| 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.