Compare towns
Niagara Falls vs Olean
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Niagara Falls has the most kids (21.2% under 18).
Olean has the highest household income ($75k).
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 | Niagara Falls | Olean |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 47,987Highest |
1,664Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-4.2%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 40.8±1.3Lowest about the NY average |
53.8±5.5Highest 35% above NY |
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±1.4Highest NY: 20.5% |
15.6%±4.5Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Niagara Falls and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±1.2Lowest NY: 17.9% |
25.2%±5.1Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.7%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
23.3%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1Highest NY: 7% |
2.5%±1.5Lowest NY: 7% |
| Niagara Falls and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $49,101±$2kLowest 43% below NY |
$74,583±$20kHighest 13% below NY |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $115,300±$6kLowest 73% below NY |
$158,600±$17kHighest 63% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $823±$33Highest 49% below NY |
$666±$334Lowest 59% below NY |
| Niagara Falls and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,786Lowest 58% below NY |
$4,027Highest 39% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.4%±6.1Highest NY: 52.1% |
57.1%±25.5Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Niagara Falls and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 23.7%Highest NY: 14% |
16.3%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
77.9%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1949Lowest 10 yrs older than NY |
1962Highest 3 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minHighest 41% below NY |
19 minLowest 43% below NY |
| Work from home | 7.4%±1.6Highest NY: 14.9% |
5.8%±4.7Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Niagara Falls 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 | #427 of 484 in NY | #337 of 484 in NY |
| School district | NIAGARA FALLS CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | NIAGARA FALLS HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.3 |
— |
| 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.