Median Income
$45,078
household / year
Median Home Value
$87,600
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$761
gross / month
Cost of Living
92
national avg = 100

Is Olean, NY a Good Place to Live?

Olean is a small city of 13,890 in New York, with a median household income of $45,078 and a 6.6% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 92 (US average = 100), which is 8% below the national average.

Strengths: Olean stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B+), short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Olean is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Olean city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 92.2

Olean's overall cost of living index is 92.2, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Olean costs roughly 8% less than the average American city.

Metric Olean, NY National Avg
Median Home Value $87,600 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $761 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 54.0% 65.9%
Median Household Income $45,078 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Near National Average

Olean's violent crime rate is 346.5 per 100,000 residents — 9% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
346.5 /100k
Property Crime
3789.4 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Olean is served primarily by OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT. The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.2:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Olean, NY National Avg
School District OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT —
Elementary Schools 2 —
Middle Schools 1 —
High Schools 1 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 10.2:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 26.7% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 89.0% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Olean sees average highs of 31.7°F in January and 80.3°F in July, with 40.7 inches of annual precipitation and 64.7 inches of snow per year.

MetricOlean, NY
Average High — January31.7°F
Average High — July80.3°F
Annual Precipitation40.7"
Annual Snowfall64.7"

Demographics

MetricOlean, NYNational Avg
Population13,890—
Median Age38.938.9
Unemployment Rate6.6%3.7%
Avg Commute Time15.8 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)88.8%59.3%
Black or African American2.8%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino1.7%18.9%
Asian2.1%6.3%
Under 1823.8%22.2%
65 and over17.8%16.8%

Nearby Cities

St. Bonaventure, NY 2 mi Allegany, NY 3 mi Weston Mills, NY 3 mi Portville, NY 6 mi Eldred, PA 9 mi

Olean vs Other Cities

Olean, NY vs St. Bonaventure, NY Olean, NY vs Allegany, NY Olean, NY vs Weston Mills, NY Olean, NY vs Portville, NY Olean, NY vs Eldred, PA

Frequently Asked Questions

Olean's cost of living index is 92, where 100 is the national average. That makes Olean roughly 8% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $87,600 and median rent is $761/month.
Olean's violent crime rate is 346.5 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 3789.4 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Olean are operated by OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT. The district has 2 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.2:1. 26.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Olean, NY has a population of 13,890, a median household income of $45,078, and an unemployment rate of 6.6%. It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Olean averages 31.7°F in January and 80.3°F in July. Annual rainfall is 40.7 inches with about 64.7 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Olean, New York is 13,890 with a median age of 38.9. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Olean: cost of living index 92 (100 = US average), median home $87,600, median household income $45,078, crime index 127 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Olean side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.