Compare towns
Cornwall vs Olean vs Oswego vs Middlebury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornwall has the most homeowners (94.3%).
Olean has the most affordable homes ($86k median).
Oswego has the most renters (49.8% rent).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Middlebury is a college town. 40.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Cornwall | Olean | Oswego | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208Lowest |
13,738 |
17,033Highest |
7,220 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.4±4.6Highest 30% above U.S. |
39±2.6 about the U.S. average |
35.7±1.6 8% below U.S. |
23.7±1.3Lowest 39% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Olean and Oswego are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.7%±6.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.1%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornwall and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
61.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
10.1%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
40.9%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,583±$32kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$51,261±$7kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$53,172±$4k 34% below U.S. |
$86,250±$18k 7% above U.S. |
| Cornwall and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $458,000±$49kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$86,100±$6kLowest 74% below U.S. |
$120,600±$7k 64% below U.S. |
$417,400±$31k 25% above U.S. |
| Cornwall and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$206 20% below U.S. |
$794±$52Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$1,109±$72 22% below U.S. |
$1,201±$120Highest 15% below U.S. |
| Middlebury and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,726 116% above U.S. |
$3,130Lowest about the U.S. average |
$3,362 8% above U.S. |
$6,795Highest 118% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±65.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
60.4%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.6%±15.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Cornwall and Oswego are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 0.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
26.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
56.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 11% below U.S. |
14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
19 min 30% below U.S. |
15 min 45% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.4%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.6%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cornwall and Middlebury 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 | #285 of 484 in NY | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | OSWEGO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | None in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | OSWEGO HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2Lowest |
12.5Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.