Compare towns
Amsterdam vs Brant vs Olean vs Wright
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Amsterdam has the most renters (47% rent).
Brant has the most people working from home (14.5%).
Olean has the most affordable homes ($86k median).
Wright has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.5%).
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 | Amsterdam | Brant | Olean | Wright |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,166Highest |
2,224 |
13,738 |
1,739Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.2% NY: +4.2% |
-7.4%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-3.6% NY: +4.2% |
-1.5%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 39.5±1.2 about the NY average |
49.7±2.5 25% above NY |
39±2.6Lowest about the NY average |
51.4±4.7Highest 29% above NY |
| Wright and Brant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23%±2.3 NY: 20.5% |
18.7%±4.8 NY: 20.5% |
23.5%±2.9Highest NY: 20.5% |
16.7%±3.1Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Olean and Amsterdam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±2.1 NY: 17.9% |
17.7%±3.3Lowest NY: 17.9% |
19.1%±2.5 NY: 17.9% |
21.4%±1.9Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Wright and Amsterdam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.5%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
24.7% NY: 40.2% |
29.9%Highest NY: 40.2% |
24.4% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1Highest NY: 7% |
2.1%±1.7Lowest NY: 7% |
3.6%±1.1 NY: 7% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest NY: 7% |
| Amsterdam and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,178±$8k 35% below NY |
$89,531±$24kHighest 4% above NY |
$51,261±$7kLowest 40% below NY |
$86,250±$13k about the NY average |
| Brant and Wright are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $137,900±$11k 67% below NY |
$201,100±$22k 53% below NY |
$86,100±$6kLowest 80% below NY |
$242,000±$36kHighest 43% below NY |
| Wright and Brant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,006±$45 38% below NY |
$1,089±$121Highest 33% below NY |
$794±$52Lowest 51% below NY |
$953±$79 41% below NY |
| Brant and Amsterdam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,369 34% below NY |
$3,528 46% below NY |
$3,130Lowest 52% below NY |
$5,279Highest 20% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.4%±6.8 NY: 52.1% |
48.8%±13.9 NY: 52.1% |
52%±9.1Highest NY: 52.1% |
37.6%±16.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Olean and Brant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 20.2% NY: 14% |
16.4% NY: 14% |
26.7%Highest NY: 14% |
7%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
75.9% NY: 54.3% |
55.1% NY: 54.3% |
80.6%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1953 6 yrs older than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1983Highest 24 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 37% below NY |
26 min 21% below NY |
14 minLowest 56% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
| Work from home | 10.5%±3.2 NY: 14.9% |
14.5%±5.5Highest NY: 14.9% |
8.4%±2.6 NY: 14.9% |
5.9%±2.8Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Brant and Amsterdam 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 | #474 of 484 in NY | — | #337 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | AMSTERDAM CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.2 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NY 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.