Compare towns
Olean vs Sharon vs Reading vs Weston Mills
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).
Sharon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Weston Mills has the oldest population (median age 54.3).
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 | Sharon | Reading | Weston Mills |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,738Highest |
1,577 |
699Lowest |
1,431 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±2.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.6±7.7 17% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6 31% above U.S. |
54.3±4.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
| Weston Mills and Reading 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% |
21%±5 U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
12.7%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Olean and Sharon 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% |
25.1%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
32.4%±4.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Weston Mills 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1Lowest 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. |
$84,375±$17k 5% above U.S. |
$85,000±$19kHighest 5% above U.S. |
$79,712±$18k about the U.S. average |
| Reading and Sharon 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. |
$346,700±$37k 4% above U.S. |
$377,200±$72kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$155,300±$23k 53% below U.S. |
| Reading and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52 44% below U.S. |
$1,386±$155Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,100±$331 22% below U.S. |
$775±$177Lowest 45% below U.S. |
| Sharon 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 |
$5,903Highest 89% above U.S. |
$5,754 84% above U.S. |
$3,393 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
63%±28.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading and Weston Mills 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% |
3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
16 min 38% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Sharon 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 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | — |
| 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.