What stands out worked out from the figures below

Whitingham has the most expensive homes ($262k median).

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	Whitingham	Olean
People
Population	1,368Lowest	13,738Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-1%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	46.4±7.1Highest 19% above U.S.	39±2.6Lowest about the U.S. average
	Whitingham and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22%	23.5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22%
	Olean and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	31.1%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%	19.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	32.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	29.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.2%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	3.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Olean and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$70,625±$11kHighest 13% below U.S.	$51,261±$7kLowest 37% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$262,300±$30kHighest 21% below U.S.	$86,100±$6kLowest 74% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$673±$150Lowest 52% below U.S.	$794±$52Highest 44% below U.S.
	Olean and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,055Highest 62% above U.S.	$3,130Lowest about the U.S. average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	62.7%±47.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%	52%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Whitingham and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	15.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	26.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S.	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	38 minHighest 44% above U.S.	14 minLowest 45% below U.S.
Work from home	9.7%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%	8.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Whitingham 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	Twin Valley Unified School District #75	OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	Twin Valley Middle High School	OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Students per teacherat that high school	7.8Lowest	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.