Compare towns
Niagara Falls vs Olean vs Union
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 most affordable homes ($86k median).
Union has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.4%).
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 | Union |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 47,987 |
13,738Lowest |
55,078Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3% NY: +4.2% |
-3.6%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-0.4%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 40.8±1.3 about the NY average |
39±2.6Lowest about the NY average |
41.4±1.2Highest 4% above NY |
| Union and Niagara Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±1.4 NY: 20.5% |
23.5%±2.9Highest NY: 20.5% |
19%±1.3Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Olean and Niagara Falls 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% |
19.1%±2.5 NY: 17.9% |
21.4%±1.3Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Union and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.7%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
29.9% NY: 40.2% |
33%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1 NY: 7% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest NY: 7% |
6.1%±0.9Highest NY: 7% |
| Union and Niagara Falls 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 |
$51,261±$7k 40% below NY |
$61,713±$2kHighest 28% below NY |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $115,300±$6k 73% below NY |
$86,100±$6kLowest 80% below NY |
$149,900±$5kHighest 65% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $823±$33 49% below NY |
$794±$52Lowest 51% below NY |
$936±$37Highest 42% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,786Lowest 58% below NY |
$3,130 52% below NY |
$4,200Highest 36% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.4%±6.1Highest NY: 52.1% |
52%±9.1 NY: 52.1% |
49.2%±5.6Lowest 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% NY: 14% |
26.7%Highest NY: 14% |
16.2%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5% NY: 54.3% |
55.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
58.9%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1949 10 yrs older than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1955Highest 4 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minHighest 41% below NY |
14 minLowest 56% below NY |
18 min 46% below NY |
| Work from home | 7.4%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
8.4%±2.6 NY: 14.9% |
9%±1.5Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Union 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 | #199 of 484 in NY |
| School district | NIAGARA FALLS CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | UNION-ENDICOTT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · JOHNSON CITY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | NIAGARA FALLS HIGH SCHOOL | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | UNION-ENDICOTT HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.3Highest |
12.2 |
11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.