Compare towns
Olean vs Brasher 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).
Brasher has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.6%).
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 | Brasher | Amsterdam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,738 |
2,592Lowest |
18,166Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+4.6%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-2.2% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 39±2.6Lowest about the NY average |
46.6±9Highest 17% above NY |
39.5±1.2 about the NY average |
| Brasher 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 NY: 20.5% |
18.4%±6.2Lowest 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% |
23.5%±5Highest NY: 17.9% |
19.5%±2.1 NY: 17.9% |
| Brasher 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% |
10.6%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
22.5% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest NY: 7% |
4.4%±2.2Highest NY: 7% |
4%±1 NY: 7% |
| Brasher 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 40% below NY |
$53,911±$14k 37% below NY |
$56,178±$8kHighest 35% below NY |
| Amsterdam and Brasher 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 |
$124,300±$24k 71% below NY |
$137,900±$11kHighest 67% below NY |
| Amsterdam and Brasher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52 51% below NY |
$730±$195Lowest 55% below NY |
$1,006±$45Highest 38% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,130 52% below NY |
$2,500Lowest 62% below NY |
$4,369Highest 34% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1 NY: 52.1% |
74.3%±27.2Highest NY: 52.1% |
45.4%±6.8Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Brasher and Olean 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% |
22.4% NY: 14% |
20.2%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% NY: 54.3% |
75.4%Highest NY: 54.3% |
53%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1978Highest 19 yrs newer than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 56% below NY |
20 min 37% below NY |
21 minHighest 37% below NY |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6 NY: 14.9% |
1.9%±1.8Lowest 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 | #300 of 484 in NY | #474 of 484 in NY |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | BRASHER FALLS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | AMSTERDAM CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
— | — |
| 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.