Compare towns
Olean vs Sutton vs Vershire vs Whitingham
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 oldest population (median age 46.6).
Vershire has the most people working from home (12.3%).
Whitingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1%).
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 | Whitingham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,738Highest |
790Lowest |
842 |
1,368 |
| 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%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±2.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
46.6±5.7Highest 20% above U.S. |
45.7±9.3 17% above U.S. |
46.4±7.1 19% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Whitingham 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% |
19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Olean and Whitingham 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% |
21.6%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.2%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.1%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% |
32.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Vershire 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. |
$71,250±$18k 12% below U.S. |
$71,618±$12kHighest 11% below U.S. |
$70,625±$11k 13% 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. |
$262,300±$30kHighest 21% below U.S. |
| Whitingham and Sutton 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. |
— | $1,117±$80Highest 21% below U.S. |
$673±$150Lowest 52% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,130Lowest about the U.S. average |
$3,975 27% above U.S. |
$4,640 49% above U.S. |
$5,055Highest 62% 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% |
62.7%±47.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Vershire and Whitingham 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.2%Highest 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. |
1974 6 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 44% 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% |
9.7%±5.2 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 | — | Twin Valley Unified School District #75 |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | — | Twin Valley Middle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
— | — | 7.8Lowest |
| 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.