Compare towns
Olean vs Ripton vs Salisbury 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).
Ripton has the most people working from home (17.2%).
Salisbury has the oldest population (median age 50.6).
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 | Ripton | Salisbury | Whiting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,738Highest |
508Lowest |
1,200 |
532 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 39±2.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
50.6±6.5Highest 30% above U.S. |
39.6±2.7 about the U.S. average |
| Salisbury and Ripton 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% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±6.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.4%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Salisbury 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% |
48%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $51,261±$7kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$99,688±$21k 23% above U.S. |
$91,250±$38k 13% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Salisbury 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. |
$394,400±$61kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$306,900±$51k 8% below U.S. |
$280,400±$36k 16% below U.S. |
| Ripton and Salisbury 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. |
— | $1,443±$984Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,204±$519 15% below U.S. |
| Salisbury and Whiting 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 |
$4,915Highest 58% above U.S. |
$4,842 55% above U.S. |
$4,227 36% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±37.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Whiting and Ripton 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% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 9% below U.S. |
19 min 29% below U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ripton 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 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | 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 | 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.