Compare towns
Olean vs Vernon vs Massena
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Olean has the most kids (23.5% under 18).
Vernon has the most people working from home (19.4%).
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 | Vernon | Massena |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,738Highest |
1,238Lowest |
10,238 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6% NY: +4.2% |
+0.4%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-7.2%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 39±2.6Lowest about the NY average |
47.1±6.5Highest 18% above NY |
42.6±4.7 7% above NY |
| Vernon and Massena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±2.9Highest NY: 20.5% |
14.3%±4.8Lowest NY: 20.5% |
19.4%±3.4 NY: 20.5% |
| Olean and Massena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±2.5Lowest NY: 17.9% |
20.3%±2.8 NY: 17.9% |
20.4%±3.3Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Massena and Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.9%Highest NY: 40.2% |
18.1%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
25.1% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 NY: 7% |
8.2%±5.1Highest NY: 7% |
2.9%±1.4Lowest NY: 7% |
| Vernon 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 40% below NY |
$63,988±$15kHighest 26% below NY |
$51,458±$7k 40% below NY |
| Vernon and Massena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $86,100±$6kLowest 80% below NY |
$184,300±$23kHighest 57% below NY |
$94,400±$15k 78% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52 51% below NY |
$921±$54Highest 43% below NY |
$722±$44Lowest 55% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,130Lowest 52% below NY |
$3,393Highest 48% below NY |
$3,218 51% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1 NY: 52.1% |
40.8%±19Lowest NY: 52.1% |
57.8%±11.4Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Massena 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 NY: 14% |
12.4%Lowest NY: 14% |
24.3% NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
59.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
55.4% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1942 17 yrs older than NY |
1954Highest 5 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 56% below NY |
22 minHighest 32% below NY |
18 min 45% below NY |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6 NY: 14.9% |
19.4%±18.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
5.2%±2.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Vernon and Olean 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 | #368 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | — |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NY 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.