Compare towns
Amsterdam vs Olean vs Westminster vs Auburn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Olean has the most affordable homes ($86k median).
Westminster has the most people working from home (23.1%).
Auburn has the most renters (51.4% rent).
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 | Olean | Westminster | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,166 |
13,738 |
497Lowest |
26,285Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.5±1.2 about the U.S. average |
39±2.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.3±11.5Highest 11% above U.S. |
41.1±1.1 6% above U.S. |
| Westminster and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
28.4%±7.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Westminster and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±11.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Auburn and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±0.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 30% below U.S. |
$51,261±$7k 37% below U.S. |
$81,000±$22kHighest about the U.S. average |
$51,052±$5kLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Westminster and Amsterdam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $137,900±$11k 59% below U.S. |
$86,100±$6kLowest 74% below U.S. |
$313,600±$39kHighest 6% below U.S. |
$152,800±$9k 54% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,006±$45Highest 29% below U.S. |
$794±$52 44% below U.S. |
$749±$315Lowest 47% below U.S. |
$897±$50 37% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,369 40% above U.S. |
$3,130Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,480Highest 44% above U.S. |
$3,998 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.4%±6.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
52%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
6.1%±43.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55%±7.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Auburn and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 20.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
26.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53% U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
48.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1947Highest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 22% below U.S. |
14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 13% above U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±3.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.4%±2.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.1%±15.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.7%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster 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 | #53 of 70 in VT | #374 of 484 in NY |
| School district | AMSTERDAM CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | AUBURN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | None in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — | AUBURN HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2Lowest |
— | 13.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | None yet | 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.