City profile · New York · Census ACS 2023

Olean, NY

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Olean - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

13,798
Residents
$47,553
Median income
$90,500
Median home
$1,007
Median rent (state)

Olean - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Olean places in the 16th percentile for household income and the 7th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

16th
percentile, household income
6th
percentile, home value
20th
percentile, median rent
7th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Olean, NY

13,798 people live in Olean, New York - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Olean brings in $47,553 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 19.9%. Typical homes in Olean are valued around $90,500, and the median resident age is 38.7 years. Educational attainment runs 29.1% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 57.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 3 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Low Activity). Olean's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 4135.9 crimes per 100,000 residents, above the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 46.3°F with 40.7 inches of precipitation per year and 64.7 inches of snowfall.

New York carries a cost-of-living premium: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, New York scores 107.9 (Above Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,007 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts New York's average monthly utility costs around $285 (state average). Commute times here average 15.0 minutes, with 74.7% driving alone and 8.5% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 81.6 out of 100 (High).

Population

13,798 residents

Census ACS 2023 - New York

Median Household Income

$47,553 /yr

Poverty 19.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

107.9 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, New York average

How does Olean compare to other US cities?

Olean measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 16% higher than other cities
Home value 6% pricier than other cities
Median rent 20% pricier than other cities
Safety 7% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at New York, Olean ranks #50 of 55 New York cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Olean's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in New York, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

16thIncome percentile
7thSafety percentile

16th percentile nationally for median household income · 7th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Olean's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Olean's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 37 Avg. percentile National median
Olean's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Olean's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$90,500 Among the most affordable more affordable than 94% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Above this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Olean $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Olean, NY Olean, NY's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Olean, NY-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Olean, NY median $47,553/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Olean, NY's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Olean, NY. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 29.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 19.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 57.3%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
13,798
Median Income
$47,553
Median Home Value
$90,500
Median Age
38.7
Poverty Rate
19.9%
Labor force participation
57.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
29.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
4135.9
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
346.5
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3789.4
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
46.3°F
Annual Precipitation
40.7"
Annual Snowfall
64.7"

Schools

Total Schools
5
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
13,400 residents13,600 residents13,800 residents14,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 13,901 residents 13,508 residents ▼ -2.8%
Olean's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Low Activity
Total Permits (2024)
3
housing units authorized
Single-Family
3
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.2
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 0
2020 0
2021 14
2022 42
2023 16
2024 3

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
15.0 minutes
Drive Alone
74.7%
Carpool
8.2%
Public Transit
1.6%
Walk
5.1%
Work from Home
8.5%
Other
1.9%

Based on 6,068 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for New York - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$130
avg/month
Natural Gas
$90
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$65
avg/month
Total Utilities
$285
estimated/month

Estimates reflect New York state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a New York state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Olean sits in

Cost of Living Index
107.9
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,007/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
81.6 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in New York

East Islip
13,687 people
St. James
13,680 people
Rocky Point
13,931 people
Greece
14,053 people
Jericho
14,117 people
Endicott
13,456 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Olean's 13,798 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Lumberton, TX
13,803 people
Worthington, MN
13,792 people
Broussard, LA
13,791 people
Halawa, HI
13,809 people
Waycross, GA
13,813 people
Hawaiian Gardens, CA
13,816 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Olean's $47,553 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Pinewood, FL
$47,551 median income
Rockdale, TX
$47,550 median income
Oceana, WV
$47,548 median income
Cave Spring, GA
$47,560 median income
Avondale, LA
$47,561 median income
Linden, TX
$47,542 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Olean, NY Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Olean, NY - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 87.6% 6.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1.1% White 87.6% Black or African American 2.4% Asian 2.2% American Indian 0.8% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.8% Two or more races 6.2% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Olean compares to nearby New York cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Olean (this city) 13,798 $47,553
East Islip 13,687 $146,890
St. James 13,680 $130,556
Rocky Point 13,931 $124,615
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NY FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Olean, NY?

What is the population of Olean, NY? +

Olean, NY has a population of 13,798 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Olean, NY? +

In Olean, the typical household earns $47,553 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Olean? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Olean; the closest available measure is the New York state average, a cost of living index of 107.9 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within New York vary by metro area.

Is Olean, NY safe? +

Olean has a total crime rate of 4135.9 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Olean, NY? +

The median home value in Olean is $90,500, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Olean? +

Climate normals put Olean's yearly average temperature at 46.3°F, 40.7 inches of precipitation, and 64.7 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.