Compare towns
Olean vs Strafford vs Gerry
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 shortest commute (14 min average).
Strafford has the most expensive homes ($431k median).
Gerry has the oldest population (median age 52.4).
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.
| Measure | Olean | Strafford | Gerry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,738Highest |
1,372Lowest |
1,668 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±2.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
51.4±4.7 32% above U.S. |
52.4±5.7Highest 35% above U.S. |
| Gerry and Strafford 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% |
23%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Olean and Strafford 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% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.9%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Strafford 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. |
$110,833±$19kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$68,667±$12k 15% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $86,100±$6kLowest 74% below U.S. |
$431,300±$40kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$119,200±$10k 64% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$1,125±$789 20% below U.S. |
$1,138±$260Highest 19% below U.S. |
| Gerry and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,130 about the U.S. average |
$7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
$2,606Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.2%±16.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gerry 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% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #337 of 484 in NY | — | — |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | Strafford School District | CASSADAGA VALLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | CASSADAGA VALLEY MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
— | 8.7Lowest |
| 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.