Compare towns
Olean vs Bellows Falls vs Amsterdam
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Olean has the most affordable homes ($86k median).
Bellows Falls has the most expensive homes ($196k median).
Amsterdam has grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.2%).
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 | Bellows Falls | Amsterdam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,738 |
2,891Lowest |
18,166Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±2.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.3±6.7Highest 6% above U.S. |
39.5±1.2 about the U.S. average |
| Bellows Falls and Amsterdam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.7%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bellows Falls 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
27.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Amsterdam 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 37% below U.S. |
$56,086±$2k 31% below U.S. |
$56,178±$8kHighest 30% below U.S. |
| Amsterdam and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $86,100±$6kLowest 74% below U.S. |
$195,600±$35kHighest 41% below U.S. |
$137,900±$11k 59% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$1,038±$109Highest 27% below U.S. |
$1,006±$45 29% below U.S. |
| Bellows Falls and Amsterdam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,130Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,448Highest 43% above U.S. |
$4,369 40% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.9%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.4%±6.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Olean and Amsterdam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 26.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
25.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
20.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
53% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1938 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1938 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
20 min 24% below U.S. |
21 minHighest 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±3.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | #474 of 484 in NY |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | AMSTERDAM CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.