Compare towns
Olean vs Strafford vs Sharon
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).
Sharon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
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 | Strafford | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,738Highest |
1,372Lowest |
1,577 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±2.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
51.4±4.7Highest 32% above U.S. |
45.6±7.7 17% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Sharon 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% |
21%±5Lowest 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% |
25.1%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sharon 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9% 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% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest 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. |
$84,375±$17k 5% above U.S. |
| Strafford 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. |
$431,300±$40kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$346,700±$37k 4% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$1,125±$789 20% below U.S. |
$1,386±$155Highest about the U.S. average |
| Sharon 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. |
$5,903 89% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48 U.S.: 51.1% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Olean and Strafford 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Strafford 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 | Strafford School District | Sharon School District |
| 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.