Compare towns
Olean vs Day vs Amsterdam vs Oswego
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).
Day has the most homeowners (90.3%).
Amsterdam has grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.2%).
Oswego has the youngest population (median age 35.7).
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 | Day | Amsterdam | Oswego |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,738 |
843Lowest |
18,166Highest |
17,033 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6% NY: +4.2% |
-4.3% NY: +4.2% |
-2.2%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-6.7%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 39±2.6 about the NY average |
61.4±2.4Highest 54% above NY |
39.5±1.2 about the NY average |
35.7±1.6Lowest 10% below NY |
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±2.9Highest NY: 20.5% |
7.8%±3.6Lowest NY: 20.5% |
23%±2.3 NY: 20.5% |
21.9%±2.6 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%±2.5 NY: 17.9% |
37.6%±5.8Highest NY: 17.9% |
19.5%±2.1 NY: 17.9% |
18.3%±2.1Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.9%Highest NY: 40.2% |
24.5% NY: 40.2% |
22.5%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
26.1% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 NY: 7% |
3%±1.8Lowest NY: 7% |
4%±1 NY: 7% |
10.1%±2Highest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $51,261±$7kLowest 40% below NY |
$57,727±$16kHighest 33% below NY |
$56,178±$8k 35% below NY |
$53,172±$4k 38% below NY |
| Day 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 |
$224,400±$49kHighest 47% below NY |
$137,900±$11k 67% below NY |
$120,600±$7k 72% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52Lowest 51% below NY |
— | $1,006±$45 38% below NY |
$1,109±$72Highest 32% below NY |
| Oswego and Amsterdam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,130 52% below NY |
$2,765Lowest 58% below NY |
$4,369Highest 34% below NY |
$3,362 49% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1 NY: 52.1% |
100%±100Highest NY: 52.1% |
45.4%±6.8Lowest NY: 52.1% |
60.4%±7.4 NY: 52.1% |
| Day and Oswego 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% |
12.2%Lowest NY: 14% |
20.2% NY: 14% |
20.6% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% NY: 54.3% |
90.3%Highest NY: 54.3% |
53% NY: 54.3% |
50.2%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1972Highest 13 yrs newer than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 56% below NY |
38 minHighest 16% above NY |
21 min 37% below NY |
19 min 43% below NY |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6 NY: 14.9% |
7.4%±4.2Lowest NY: 14.9% |
10.5%±3.2Highest NY: 14.9% |
8.6%±2.9 NY: 14.9% |
| Amsterdam 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 | — | #474 of 484 in NY | #285 of 484 in NY |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | AMSTERDAM CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | OSWEGO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — | None in town | OSWEGO HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Lowest |
— | — | 12.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.