Compare towns
Massena vs Olean vs Oswego 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
Olean has the shortest commute (14 min average).
Oswego has the most renters (49.8% rent).
Wright has the most expensive homes ($242k median).
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 | Massena | Olean | Oswego | Wright |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,238 |
13,738 |
17,033Highest |
1,739Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.2%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-3.6% NY: +4.2% |
-6.7% NY: +4.2% |
-1.5%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 42.6±4.7 7% above NY |
39±2.6 about the NY average |
35.7±1.6Lowest 10% below NY |
51.4±4.7Highest 29% above NY |
| Wright and Massena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±3.4 NY: 20.5% |
23.5%±2.9Highest NY: 20.5% |
21.9%±2.6 NY: 20.5% |
16.7%±3.1Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Olean and Oswego are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±3.3 NY: 17.9% |
19.1%±2.5 NY: 17.9% |
18.3%±2.1Lowest NY: 17.9% |
21.4%±1.9Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Wright and Massena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.1% NY: 40.2% |
29.9%Highest NY: 40.2% |
26.1% NY: 40.2% |
24.4%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.4 NY: 7% |
3.6%±1.1 NY: 7% |
10.1%±2Highest NY: 7% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $51,458±$7k 40% below NY |
$51,261±$7kLowest 40% below NY |
$53,172±$4k 38% below NY |
$86,250±$13kHighest about the NY average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $94,400±$15k 78% below NY |
$86,100±$6kLowest 80% below NY |
$120,600±$7k 72% below NY |
$242,000±$36kHighest 43% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $722±$44Lowest 55% below NY |
$794±$52 51% below NY |
$1,109±$72Highest 32% below NY |
$953±$79 41% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,218 51% below NY |
$3,130Lowest 52% below NY |
$3,362 49% below NY |
$5,279Highest 20% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.8%±11.4 NY: 52.1% |
52%±9.1 NY: 52.1% |
60.4%±7.4Highest NY: 52.1% |
37.6%±16.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Oswego and Massena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 24.3% NY: 14% |
26.7%Highest NY: 14% |
20.6% NY: 14% |
7%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.4% NY: 54.3% |
55.1% NY: 54.3% |
50.2%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
80.6%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954 5 yrs older than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1983Highest 24 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 45% below NY |
14 minLowest 56% below NY |
19 min 43% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
| Work from home | 5.2%±2.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
8.4%±2.6 NY: 14.9% |
8.6%±2.9Highest NY: 14.9% |
5.9%±2.8 NY: 14.9% |
| Oswego 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 | — | #337 of 484 in NY | #285 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | — | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | OSWEGO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school 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 | 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.