Compare towns
Olean vs Shrewsbury vs Wallingford
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).
Shrewsbury has the most people working from home (15.7%).
Wallingford has the oldest population (median age 45.9).
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 | Shrewsbury | Wallingford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,738Highest |
1,237Lowest |
2,286 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±2.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
42.3±5.6 9% above U.S. |
45.9±10.8Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Wallingford and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
25.1%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Shrewsbury and Olean 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% |
21.9%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.9%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wallingford and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Olean and Shrewsbury 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. |
$91,250±$23kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$80,230±$15k about the U.S. average |
| Shrewsbury and Wallingford 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. |
$331,900±$52kHighest about the U.S. average |
$261,900±$44k 21% below U.S. |
| Shrewsbury and Wallingford 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. |
$1,438±$380Highest about the U.S. average |
$891±$95 37% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,130Lowest about the U.S. average |
$5,350Highest 72% above U.S. |
$4,355 40% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
71.4%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
14.3%±13.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Shrewsbury 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% |
7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Shrewsbury 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 | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 |
| 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 |
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.