Compare towns
Olean vs Schenectady vs Weston Mills
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Olean has the most affordable homes ($86k median).
Schenectady has the most people working from home (10.9%).
Weston Mills has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).
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 | Schenectady | Weston Mills |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,738 |
68,847Highest |
1,431Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+1.4% NY: +4.2% |
+3.6%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 39±2.6 about the NY average |
36.1±1Lowest 9% below NY |
54.3±4.3Highest 36% above NY |
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±2.9Highest NY: 20.5% |
19.9%±1.2 NY: 20.5% |
12.7%±5.2Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Olean and Schenectady are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±2.5 NY: 17.9% |
15.1%±1.1Lowest NY: 17.9% |
32.4%±4.5Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.9%Highest NY: 40.2% |
25.4%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
26.2% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 NY: 7% |
9.8%±1Highest NY: 7% |
0.8%±1Lowest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $51,261±$7kLowest 40% below NY |
$58,399±$3k 32% below NY |
$79,712±$18kHighest 7% below NY |
| Weston Mills and Schenectady are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $86,100±$6kLowest 80% below NY |
$168,800±$5kHighest 60% below NY |
$155,300±$23k 63% below NY |
| Schenectady and Weston Mills are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52 51% below NY |
$1,145±$33Highest 29% below NY |
$775±$177Lowest 52% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,130Lowest 52% below NY |
$4,874Highest 26% below NY |
$3,393 48% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1Lowest NY: 52.1% |
58.5%±4.5 NY: 52.1% |
63%±28.8Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Weston Mills and Schenectady are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 26.7%Highest NY: 14% |
23.8% NY: 14% |
7.9%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% NY: 54.3% |
45.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
78.7%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1941 18 yrs older than NY |
1967Highest 8 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 56% below NY |
22 minHighest 33% below NY |
16 min 50% below NY |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6 NY: 14.9% |
10.9%±1.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
7.1%±5.9Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Schenectady 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 | #400 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | SCHENECTADY CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | SCHENECTADY HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Lowest |
13.3Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NY 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.