Compare towns
Olean vs Wright vs Auburn vs Allegany
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 affordable homes ($86k median).
Wright has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.5%).
Auburn has the most renters (51.4% rent).
Allegany has the most people working from home (9.7%).
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 | Wright | Auburn | Allegany |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,738 |
1,739Lowest |
26,285Highest |
7,410 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6% NY: +4.2% |
-1.5%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-3% NY: +4.2% |
-6.4%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 39±2.6 about the NY average |
51.4±4.7Highest 29% above NY |
41.1±1.1 3% above NY |
37.4±4.1Lowest 6% below NY |
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±2.9Highest NY: 20.5% |
16.7%±3.1 NY: 20.5% |
19%±1.7 NY: 20.5% |
15.1%±2.5Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Olean and Auburn 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% |
21.4%±1.9 NY: 17.9% |
21.6%±1.9Highest NY: 17.9% |
20.5%±2.7 NY: 17.9% |
| Auburn and Wright are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.9% NY: 40.2% |
24.4% NY: 40.2% |
21%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
34.2%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 NY: 7% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest NY: 7% |
2.7%±0.7 NY: 7% |
23.4%±1.7Highest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $51,261±$7k 40% below NY |
$86,250±$13kHighest about the NY average |
$51,052±$5kLowest 41% below NY |
$72,500±$15k 16% below NY |
| Wright and Allegany 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 |
$242,000±$36kHighest 43% below NY |
$152,800±$9k 64% below NY |
$169,400±$13k 60% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52 51% below NY |
$953±$79Highest 41% below NY |
$897±$50 45% below NY |
$728±$56Lowest 55% below NY |
| Wright and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,130Lowest 52% below NY |
$5,279Highest 20% below NY |
$3,998 39% below NY |
$3,986 39% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1 NY: 52.1% |
37.6%±16.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
55%±7.8Highest NY: 52.1% |
48.6%±7.6 NY: 52.1% |
| Auburn 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% |
7%Lowest NY: 14% |
19.5% NY: 14% |
15% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% NY: 54.3% |
80.6%Highest NY: 54.3% |
48.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
80.3% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1983Highest 24 yrs newer than NY |
1947 12 yrs older than NY |
1971 12 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 56% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
20 min 40% below NY |
20 min 40% below NY |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6 NY: 14.9% |
5.9%±2.8 NY: 14.9% |
5.7%±1.8Lowest NY: 14.9% |
9.7%±3.5Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Allegany 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 | — | #374 of 484 in NY | #161 of 484 in NY |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | AUBURN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | ALLEGANY-LIMESTONE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — | AUBURN HIGH SCHOOL | ALLEGANY-LIMESTONE MIDDLE-HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
— | 13.8Highest |
9.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.