Compare towns
Olean vs Smyrna vs Allegany
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 renters (44.9% rent).
Smyrna has the most kids (26.3% under 18).
Allegany has the most expensive homes ($169k median).
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 | Smyrna | Allegany |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,738Highest |
1,392Lowest |
7,410 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6% NY: +4.2% |
-3.4%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-6.4%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 39±2.6 about the NY average |
43.4±7.4Highest 9% above NY |
37.4±4.1Lowest 6% below NY |
| Smyrna and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±2.9 NY: 20.5% |
26.3%±5.7Highest NY: 20.5% |
15.1%±2.5Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Smyrna and Olean 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% |
15.8%±5Lowest NY: 17.9% |
20.5%±2.7Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Allegany and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.9% NY: 40.2% |
9.6%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
34.2%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 NY: 7% |
1.2%±1.5Lowest NY: 7% |
23.4%±1.7Highest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $51,261±$7kLowest 40% below NY |
$59,408±$10k 31% below NY |
$72,500±$15kHighest 16% below NY |
| Allegany and Smyrna 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 |
$89,500±$10k 79% below NY |
$169,400±$13kHighest 60% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52 51% below NY |
$888±$384Highest 45% below NY |
$728±$56Lowest 55% below NY |
| Smyrna and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,130 52% below NY |
$2,056Lowest 69% below NY |
$3,986Highest 39% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1 NY: 52.1% |
67.7%±84.9Highest NY: 52.1% |
48.6%±7.6Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Smyrna 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 NY: 14% |
14.3%Lowest NY: 14% |
15% NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
88.8%Highest NY: 54.3% |
80.3% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1976Highest 17 yrs newer than NY |
1971 12 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 56% below NY |
22 minHighest 33% below NY |
20 min 40% below NY |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
9.5%±5.4 NY: 14.9% |
9.7%±3.5Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Allegany and Smyrna 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 | — | #161 of 484 in NY |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | ALLEGANY-LIMESTONE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — | ALLEGANY-LIMESTONE MIDDLE-HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
— | 9.6Lowest |
| 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.