What stands out worked out from the figures below

Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).

Olean has the most affordable homes ($86k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Westminster	Olean
People
Population	2,999Lowest	13,738Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	-3.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S.	39±2.6Lowest about the U.S. average
Kids under 18	18.2%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22%	23.5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22%
	Olean and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%	19.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Westminster and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	46.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	29.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Westminster and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$71,491±$4kHighest 11% below U.S.	$51,261±$7kLowest 37% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$273,800±$35kHighest 18% below U.S.	$86,100±$6kLowest 74% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$916±$126Highest 35% below U.S.	$794±$52Lowest 44% below U.S.
	Westminster and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,063Highest 30% above U.S.	$3,130Lowest about the U.S. average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	49.2%±7.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	52%±9.1Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Olean and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	26.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1980Highest same as U.S.	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest 10% below U.S.	14 minLowest 45% below U.S.
Work from home	27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%	8.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#53 of 70 in VT	#337 of 484 in NY
School district	Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District	OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	Bellows Falls Union High School	OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Students per teacherat that high school	10.6Lowest	12.2Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.