Compare towns
Olean vs Dunkirk 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 shortest commute (14 min average).
Dunkirk has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.4%).
Oswego has the most expensive homes ($121k median).
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 | Dunkirk | Oswego |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,738 |
12,549Lowest |
17,033Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6% NY: +4.2% |
+1.4%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-6.7%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 39±2.6 about the NY average |
43.7±3.1Highest 10% above NY |
35.7±1.6Lowest 10% below NY |
| Dunkirk and Olean 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% |
20%±2.8Lowest NY: 20.5% |
21.9%±2.6 NY: 20.5% |
| Olean and Oswego are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±2.5Highest NY: 17.9% |
19.1%±2.3Highest NY: 17.9% |
18.3%±2.1Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.9%Highest NY: 40.2% |
16.4%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
26.1% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest NY: 7% |
4.3%±1.5 NY: 7% |
10.1%±2Highest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $51,261±$7kLowest 40% below NY |
$53,299±$6kHighest 38% below NY |
$53,172±$4k 38% below NY |
| Dunkirk 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 |
$94,700±$6k 78% below NY |
$120,600±$7kHighest 72% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52Lowest 51% below NY |
$866±$81 47% below NY |
$1,109±$72Highest 32% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,130 52% below NY |
$2,352Lowest 64% below NY |
$3,362Highest 49% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1 NY: 52.1% |
46.6%±7.7Lowest NY: 52.1% |
60.4%±7.4Highest 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%Highest NY: 14% |
24.3% NY: 14% |
20.6%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% NY: 54.3% |
58.5%Highest NY: 54.3% |
50.2%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1941Highest 18 yrs older than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 56% below NY |
19 minHighest 42% below NY |
19 min 43% below NY |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6 NY: 14.9% |
4.5%±2Lowest NY: 14.9% |
8.6%±2.9Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Oswego 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 | #465 of 484 in NY | #285 of 484 in NY |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | DUNKIRK CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | OSWEGO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | DUNKIRK SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | OSWEGO HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
9.7Lowest |
12.5Highest |
| 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.