Compare towns

Olean vs Salisbury vs Cornwall vs Massena

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 kids (23.5% under 18).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
Cornwall has the most people working from home (24.4%).

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.

MeasureOleanSalisburyCornwallMassena
People
Population
13,738Highest
1,200Lowest
1,208
10,238
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-3.6%
U.S.: +7.4%
+7.5%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+1.9%
U.S.: +7.4%
-7.2%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
39±2.6Lowest
about the U.S. average
50.6±6.5Highest
30% above U.S.
50.4±4.6
30% above U.S.
42.6±4.7
10% above U.S.
Salisbury and Cornwall 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%
16.6%±3.2Lowest
U.S.: 22%
18.7%±3
U.S.: 22%
19.4%±3.4
U.S.: 22%
Olean and Massena 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%
30.4%±2.9Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
25.7%±6.1
U.S.: 17.2%
20.4%±3.3
U.S.: 17.2%
Salisbury and Cornwall 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%
34.6%
U.S.: 35.7%
54.7%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
25.1%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.6%±1.1
U.S.: 6.4%
1.6%±1.1Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.7%±3.1Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
2.9%±1.4
U.S.: 6.4%
Cornwall 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.
$99,688±$21k
23% above U.S.
$114,583±$32kHighest
42% above U.S.
$51,458±$7k
36% below U.S.
Cornwall 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.
$306,900±$51k
8% below U.S.
$458,000±$49kHighest
38% above U.S.
$94,400±$15k
72% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$794±$52
44% below U.S.
$1,443±$984Highest
about the U.S. average
$1,125±$206
20% below U.S.
$722±$44Lowest
49% below U.S.
Salisbury and Cornwall 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
$4,842
55% above U.S.
$6,726Highest
116% above U.S.
$3,218
3% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
52%±9.1
U.S.: 51.1%
31.9%±22.6Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
61.9%±65.5Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
57.8%±11.4
U.S.: 51.1%
Cornwall and Massena 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%
4.6%
U.S.: 12.5%
0.8%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
24.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
55.1%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
88.7%
U.S.: 65.2%
94.3%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
55.4%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1938Lowest
42 yrs older than U.S.
1967
13 yrs older than U.S.
1976Highest
4 yrs older than U.S.
1954
26 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
14 minLowest
45% below U.S.
19 min
29% below U.S.
24 minHighest
11% below U.S.
18 min
32% below U.S.
Work from home
8.4%±2.6
U.S.: 15.1%
6%±2.2
U.S.: 15.1%
24.4%±6.6Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
5.2%±2.6Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
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 —
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 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.