Compare towns
Olean vs Ellery vs Amsterdam
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 (19 min average).
Ellery has the most expensive homes ($236k median).
Amsterdam has the most people working from home (10.5%).
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 | Olean | Ellery | Amsterdam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,664Lowest |
4,073 |
18,166Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.2% NY: +4.2% |
-9%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-2.2%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 53.8±5.5 35% above NY |
56.1±4.5Highest 41% above NY |
39.5±1.2Lowest about the NY average |
| Ellery and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±4.5 NY: 20.5% |
14.3%±3.8Lowest NY: 20.5% |
23%±2.3Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±5.1 NY: 17.9% |
30.8%±6.6Highest NY: 17.9% |
19.5%±2.1Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Ellery and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.3% NY: 40.2% |
40%Highest NY: 40.2% |
22.5%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.5Lowest NY: 7% |
4.4%±2.2Highest NY: 7% |
4%±1 NY: 7% |
| Ellery and Amsterdam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,583±$20k 13% below NY |
$86,833±$12kHighest about the NY average |
$56,178±$8kLowest 35% below NY |
| Ellery and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $158,600±$17k 63% below NY |
$235,900±$29kHighest 44% below NY |
$137,900±$11kLowest 67% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $666±$334Lowest 59% below NY |
$845±$189 48% below NY |
$1,006±$45Highest 38% below NY |
| Amsterdam and Ellery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,027 39% below NY |
$3,796Lowest 42% below NY |
$4,369Highest 34% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±25.5Highest NY: 52.1% |
35.9%±16.8Lowest NY: 52.1% |
45.4%±6.8 NY: 52.1% |
| Olean and Amsterdam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.3% NY: 14% |
9.2%Lowest NY: 14% |
20.2%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.9% NY: 54.3% |
89.5%Highest NY: 54.3% |
53%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 3 yrs newer than NY |
1967Highest 8 yrs newer than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 43% below NY |
23 minHighest 29% below NY |
21 min 37% below NY |
| Work from home | 5.8%±4.7 NY: 14.9% |
4.5%±2.4Lowest NY: 14.9% |
10.5%±3.2Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Amsterdam 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 | #241 of 484 in NY | #474 of 484 in NY |
| School district | — | BEMUS POINT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | AMSTERDAM CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | MAPLE GROVE JUNIOR/SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.6 |
— |
| 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.