Compare towns
Olean vs Strafford vs Middlebury vs Olean
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).
Strafford has the highest household income ($111k).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Olean has the oldest population (median age 53.8).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Middlebury | Olean |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,738Highest |
1,372Lowest |
9,175 |
1,664 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±2.6 about the U.S. average |
51.4±4.7 32% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
53.8±5.5Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Olean 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% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±4.5 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% |
20.7%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Olean and Strafford 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% |
53.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $51,261±$7kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$110,833±$19kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$86,169±$16k 7% above U.S. |
$74,583±$20k 8% below U.S. |
| Strafford and Middlebury 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. |
$431,300±$40kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$409,700±$30k 23% above U.S. |
$158,600±$17k 52% below U.S. |
| Strafford and Middlebury 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. |
$1,125±$789 20% below U.S. |
$1,156±$113Highest 18% below U.S. |
$666±$334Lowest 53% below U.S. |
| Middlebury and Strafford 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 |
$7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
$6,868 120% above U.S. |
$4,027 29% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±25.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Olean 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% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 13% below U.S. |
16 min 41% below U.S. |
19 min 30% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.8%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlebury and Strafford 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 | — | #17 of 70 in VT | #337 of 484 in NY |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | Strafford School District | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Lowest |
— | 12.6Highest |
— |
| 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.