Compare towns
Niagara Falls vs Olean vs Union vs Rome
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%).
Rome has the most people working from home (12.8%).
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 | Rome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 47,987 |
13,738Lowest |
55,078Highest |
31,795 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3% NY: +4.2% |
-3.6% NY: +4.2% |
-0.4%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-4.7%Lowest 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 |
40.7±1.9 about the NY average |
| 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% |
19.5%±2 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% |
19.8%±1.7 NY: 17.9% |
| Union and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.7% NY: 40.2% |
29.9% NY: 40.2% |
33%Highest NY: 40.2% |
20.8%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1 NY: 7% |
3.6%±1.1 NY: 7% |
6.1%±0.9Highest NY: 7% |
3.3%±0.7Lowest 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 |
$59,925±$3k 30% below NY |
| Union and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $115,300±$6k 73% below NY |
$86,100±$6kLowest 80% below NY |
$149,900±$5k 65% below NY |
$154,400±$6kHighest 64% below NY |
| Rome and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $823±$33 49% below NY |
$794±$52Lowest 51% below NY |
$936±$37Highest 42% below NY |
$909±$59 44% below NY |
| Union and Rome 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 |
$3,130 52% below NY |
$4,200 36% below NY |
$4,212Highest 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%±5.6 NY: 52.1% |
45.6%±6.7Lowest 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% |
18.1% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5% NY: 54.3% |
55.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
58.9%Highest NY: 54.3% |
56.6% 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 |
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 |
18 min 45% below NY |
| Work from home | 7.4%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
8.4%±2.6 NY: 14.9% |
9%±1.5 NY: 14.9% |
12.8%±2.6Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Rome and Union 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 | #323 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 | ROME CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | NIAGARA FALLS HIGH SCHOOL | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | UNION-ENDICOTT HIGH SCHOOL | ROME FREE ACADEMY |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.3Highest |
12.2 |
11.4Lowest |
13.2 |
| 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.