Compare towns
Olean vs Bridgewater vs Oswego vs Massena
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 shortest commute (14 min average).
Bridgewater has the most expensive homes ($218k median).
Oswego has the most renters (49.8% rent).
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 | Bridgewater | Oswego | Massena |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,738 |
980Lowest |
17,033Highest |
10,238 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±2.6 about the U.S. average |
57.1±8Highest 47% above U.S. |
35.7±1.6Lowest 8% below U.S. |
42.6±4.7 10% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Olean and Oswego are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.2%±0.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±3.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
10.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Oswego and Bridgewater 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. |
$70,272±$3kHighest 13% below U.S. |
$53,172±$4k 34% below U.S. |
$51,458±$7k 36% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $86,100±$6kLowest 74% below U.S. |
$218,300±$55kHighest 34% below U.S. |
$120,600±$7k 64% below U.S. |
$94,400±$15k 72% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52 44% below U.S. |
$850±$778 40% below U.S. |
$1,109±$72Highest 22% below U.S. |
$722±$44Lowest 49% below U.S. |
| Oswego and Bridgewater 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 |
$3,418Highest 10% above U.S. |
$3,362 8% above U.S. |
$3,218 3% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.7%±39.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
60.4%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.8%±11.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Oswego and Bridgewater 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% |
14.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
24.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1954 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 9% below U.S. |
19 min 30% below U.S. |
18 min 32% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.6%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.2%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bridgewater and Oswego 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 | — | #285 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | OSWEGO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — | OSWEGO HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Lowest |
— | 12.5Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.