Compare towns
Olean vs Ryegate vs Sharon
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).
Ryegate has the most homeowners (84.7%).
Sharon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
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 | Ryegate | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,738Highest |
1,059Lowest |
1,577 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±2.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.2±2.6 6% above U.S. |
45.6±7.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Sharon and Ryegate 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% |
23.2%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
21%±5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Olean and Ryegate 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% |
22.1%±1.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.1%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sharon and Ryegate 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% |
29.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Olean and Ryegate 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. |
$66,484±$15k 18% below U.S. |
$84,375±$17kHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Sharon and Ryegate 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. |
$219,300±$32k 34% below U.S. |
$346,700±$37kHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$908±$236 36% below U.S. |
$1,386±$155Highest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,130Lowest about the U.S. average |
$3,472 11% above U.S. |
$5,903Highest 89% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±29.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ryegate 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% |
14.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1949 31 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.2%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sharon and Olean 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 | — | Sharon School District |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — | 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.