Compare towns

Olean vs Batavia 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 most affordable homes ($86k median).
Batavia has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.9%).
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.

MeasureOleanBataviaAmsterdam
People
Population
13,738Lowest
15,097
18,166Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-3.6%Lowest
NY: +4.2%
+0.9%Highest
NY: +4.2%
-2.2%
NY: +4.2%
Median age
39±2.6Lowest
about the NY average
42.9±2.1Highest
8% above NY
39.5±1.2
about the NY average
Kids under 18
23.5%±2.9Highest
NY: 20.5%
17.3%±2Lowest
NY: 20.5%
23%±2.3
NY: 20.5%
Olean and Amsterdam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
19.1%±2.5Lowest
NY: 17.9%
20.8%±2.1Highest
NY: 17.9%
19.5%±2.1
NY: 17.9%
Batavia and Amsterdam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
29.9%Highest
NY: 40.2%
21.5%Lowest
NY: 40.2%
22.5%
NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.6%±1.1
NY: 7%
3.2%±1Lowest
NY: 7%
4%±1Highest
NY: 7%
Amsterdam and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$51,261±$7kLowest
40% below NY
$59,446±$6kHighest
31% below NY
$56,178±$8k
35% below NY
Batavia and Amsterdam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$86,100±$6kLowest
80% below NY
$148,900±$7kHighest
65% below NY
$137,900±$11k
67% below NY
Batavia and Amsterdam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$794±$52Lowest
51% below NY
$925±$35
43% below NY
$1,006±$45Highest
38% below NY
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,130Lowest
52% below NY
$3,326
49% below NY
$4,369Highest
34% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
52%±9.1Highest
NY: 52.1%
45.9%±7.3
NY: 52.1%
45.4%±6.8Lowest
NY: 52.1%
Olean and Batavia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
26.7%Highest
NY: 14%
14.2%Lowest
NY: 14%
20.2%
NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
55.1%Highest
NY: 54.3%
52.7%Lowest
NY: 54.3%
53%
NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1938Lowest
21 yrs older than NY
1944Highest
15 yrs older than NY
1938Lowest
21 yrs older than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
14 minLowest
56% below NY
21 minHighest
35% below NY
21 min
37% below NY
Work from home
8.4%±2.6
NY: 14.9%
5%±1.7Lowest
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 #254 of 484 in NY #474 of 484 in NY
School district OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT BATAVIA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT AMSTERDAM CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL BATAVIA HIGH SCHOOL None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
12.2Highest
11.1Lowest
—
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.