Compare towns
Olean vs Williston vs Weston Mills
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).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Weston Mills has the oldest population (median age 54.3).
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 | Williston | Weston Mills |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,738Highest |
10,144 |
1,431Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±2.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
54.3±4.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
12.7%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Olean and Williston 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%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
32.4%±4.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston 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. |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$79,712±$18k about the U.S. average |
| Williston and Weston Mills 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. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$155,300±$23k 53% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52 44% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$775±$177Lowest 45% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,130Lowest about the U.S. average |
$5,592Highest 79% above U.S. |
$3,393 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
63%±28.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Weston Mills 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% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
20 minHighest 25% below U.S. |
16 min 38% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #337 of 484 in NY | #11 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | — |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | 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.