Compare towns
Olean vs Sutton vs Vershire vs Waterville
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).
Sutton has the most homeowners (85%).
Vershire has the most people working from home (12.3%).
Waterville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).
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 | Sutton | Vershire | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,738Highest |
790 |
842 |
680Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-11.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±2.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
46.6±5.7 20% above U.S. |
45.7±9.3 17% above U.S. |
49.1±8.2Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Waterville and Sutton 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% |
17.3%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
20.4%±8.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Olean and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Vershire and Sutton 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% |
32.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Waterville and Vershire 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. |
$71,250±$18k 12% below U.S. |
$71,618±$12kHighest 11% below U.S. |
$71,250±$27k 12% below U.S. |
| Vershire and Sutton 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. |
$231,100±$41k 31% below U.S. |
$209,100±$55k 37% below U.S. |
$236,300±$15kHighest 29% below U.S. |
| Waterville and Sutton 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. |
— | $1,117±$80Highest 21% below U.S. |
$1,110±$93 21% below U.S. |
| Vershire and Waterville 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 |
$3,975 27% above U.S. |
$4,640Highest 49% above U.S. |
$3,957 27% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.8%±31.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
77.8%±24.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±27.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Vershire 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% |
12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
19.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
32 min 23% above U.S. |
38 minHighest 42% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.5%±3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Vershire and Sutton 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 | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | — | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A |
| 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 | 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.