Compare towns
West Fairlee vs Olean vs Wardsboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
West Fairlee has the highest household income ($77k).
Olean has the most affordable homes ($159k median).
Wardsboro has the most people working from home (13.3%).
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 | West Fairlee | Olean | Wardsboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 711Lowest |
1,664Highest |
820 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.3±7.6Lowest 29% above U.S. |
53.8±5.5Highest 38% above U.S. |
51.6±7.3 33% above U.S. |
| Olean and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Wardsboro and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.4%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| West Fairlee and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
38.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| West Fairlee and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $76,500±$16kHighest 5% below U.S. |
$74,583±$20k 8% below U.S. |
$62,000±$6kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| West Fairlee and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $237,200±$35k 29% below U.S. |
$158,600±$17kLowest 52% below U.S. |
$299,300±$47kHighest 10% below U.S. |
| Wardsboro and West Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,113±$171 21% below U.S. |
$666±$334Lowest 53% below U.S. |
$1,479±$224Highest 5% above U.S. |
| Wardsboro and West Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,210Highest 67% above U.S. |
$4,027Lowest 29% above U.S. |
$4,345 39% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50%±89.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±25.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.5%±58 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Olean and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 7% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 5.5%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.8%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wardsboro 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 | — |
| School district | Rivendell Interstate School District | — | River Valleys Unified School District #73 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.