Compare towns
Waterbury vs Olean vs Cambridge
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waterbury has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Olean has the most affordable homes ($86k median).
Cambridge has the youngest population (median age 37.4).
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 | Waterbury | Olean | Cambridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,405 |
13,738Highest |
3,767Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
39±2.6 about the U.S. average |
37.4±1.8Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Waterbury and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.9%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
23%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Olean and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.1%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Waterbury and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Olean and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,917±$23kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$51,261±$7kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$72,344±$19k 10% below U.S. |
| Waterbury and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $447,200±$40kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$86,100±$6kLowest 74% below U.S. |
$343,000±$38k 3% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,027±$535 27% below U.S. |
$794±$52Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$1,183±$66Highest 16% below U.S. |
| Cambridge and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,435Highest 106% above U.S. |
$3,130Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,910 57% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.8%±21.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.6%±7.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Cambridge and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
26.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.3%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #20 of 70 in VT | #337 of 484 in NY | #25 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | Cambridge School District |
| High school in town | None 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.