Compare towns
Olean vs Conewango vs Oswego vs Lockport
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).
Conewango has the most kids (41.6% under 18).
Oswego has the most renters (49.8% rent).
Lockport has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.4%).
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 | Conewango | Oswego | Lockport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,738 |
2,073Lowest |
17,033 |
20,610Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6% NY: +4.2% |
-3.9% NY: +4.2% |
-6.7%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-1.4%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 39±2.6Highest about the NY average |
24.4±4Lowest 39% below NY |
35.7±1.6 10% below NY |
36.8±2 8% below NY |
| Olean and Lockport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±2.9 NY: 20.5% |
41.6%±10.6Highest NY: 20.5% |
21.9%±2.6 NY: 20.5% |
21.5%±2.4Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±2.5Highest NY: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.8Lowest NY: 17.9% |
18.3%±2.1 NY: 17.9% |
16.3%±1.9 NY: 17.9% |
| Olean and Oswego 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% |
13.9%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
26.1% NY: 40.2% |
24.6% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 NY: 7% |
1.8%±1.2Lowest NY: 7% |
10.1%±2Highest NY: 7% |
5.6%±1.5 NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $51,261±$7k 40% below NY |
$50,598±$11kLowest 41% below NY |
$53,172±$4k 38% below NY |
$62,410±$7kHighest 27% below NY |
| Lockport and Oswego 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 |
$124,800±$65k 71% below NY |
$120,600±$7k 72% below NY |
$139,900±$11kHighest 67% below NY |
| Lockport and Conewango 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 |
$567±$311Lowest 65% below NY |
$1,109±$72Highest 32% below NY |
$945±$43 42% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,130 52% below NY |
$2,719Lowest 59% below NY |
$3,362 49% below NY |
$4,022Highest 39% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1 NY: 52.1% |
16.7%±34.2Lowest NY: 52.1% |
60.4%±7.4Highest NY: 52.1% |
40.3%±7.1 NY: 52.1% |
| Oswego and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 26.7% NY: 14% |
32%Highest NY: 14% |
20.6% NY: 14% |
15.2%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% NY: 54.3% |
81.8%Highest NY: 54.3% |
50.2%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
58.8% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1974Highest 15 yrs newer than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1941 18 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 56% below NY |
21 min 36% below NY |
19 min 43% below NY |
24 minHighest 28% below NY |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
13.2%±7Highest NY: 14.9% |
8.6%±2.9 NY: 14.9% |
9%±2.3 NY: 14.9% |
| Conewango and Lockport 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 | #289 of 484 in NY |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | OSWEGO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | LOCKPORT CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — | OSWEGO HIGH SCHOOL | LOCKPORT HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
— | 12.5Highest |
11.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.