What stands out worked out from the figures below

Lockport has the most expensive homes ($140k median).

Olean has the shortest commute (14 min average).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Lockport	Olean
People
Population	20,610Highest	13,738Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-1.4%Highest NY: +4.2%	-3.6%Lowest NY: +4.2%
Median age	36.8±2Lowest 8% below NY	39±2.6Highest about the NY average
	Olean and Lockport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.5%±2.4Lowest NY: 20.5%	23.5%±2.9Highest NY: 20.5%
	Olean and Lockport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.3%±1.9Lowest NY: 17.9%	19.1%±2.5Highest NY: 17.9%
	Olean and Lockport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.6%Lowest NY: 40.2%	29.9%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.5Highest NY: 7%	3.6%±1.1Lowest NY: 7%
	Lockport and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$62,410±$7kHighest 27% below NY	$51,261±$7kLowest 40% below NY
	Lockport and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$139,900±$11kHighest 67% below NY	$86,100±$6kLowest 80% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$945±$43Highest 42% below NY	$794±$52Lowest 51% below NY
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,022Highest 39% below NY	$3,130Lowest 52% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	40.3%±7.1Lowest NY: 52.1%	52%±9.1Highest NY: 52.1%
	Olean and Lockport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	15.2%Lowest NY: 14%	26.7%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	58.8%Highest NY: 54.3%	55.1%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1941Highest 18 yrs older than NY	1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest 28% below NY	14 minLowest 56% below NY
Work from home	9%±2.3Highest NY: 14.9%	8.4%±2.6Lowest NY: 14.9%
	Lockport and Olean 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	#289 of 484 in NY	#337 of 484 in NY
School district	LOCKPORT CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT	OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	LOCKPORT HIGH SCHOOL	OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Students per teacherat that high school	11.7Lowest	12.2Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.