Compare towns
Olean vs Ira vs Oswego vs Lockport
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 most affordable homes ($86k median).
Ira has the most expensive homes ($273k median).
Oswego has the most renters (49.8% rent).
Lockport has the most people working from home (9%).
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 | Ira | Oswego | Lockport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,738 |
381Lowest |
17,033 |
20,610Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -6.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±2.6 about the U.S. average |
54.1±5.5Highest 39% above U.S. |
35.7±1.6Lowest 8% below U.S. |
36.8±2 5% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
21.5%±2.4 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% |
28.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
24.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
10.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $51,261±$7kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$71,827±$5kHighest 11% below U.S. |
$53,172±$4k 34% below U.S. |
$62,410±$7k 23% below U.S. |
| Ira and Lockport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $86,100±$6kLowest 74% below U.S. |
$272,900±$18kHighest 18% below U.S. |
$120,600±$7k 64% below U.S. |
$139,900±$11k 58% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$942±$52 33% below U.S. |
$1,109±$72Highest 22% below U.S. |
$945±$43 33% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,130Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,146Highest 33% above U.S. |
$3,362 8% above U.S. |
$4,022 29% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
60.4%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±7.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
14.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1941 39 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
19 min 30% below U.S. |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.6%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lockport 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 | #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 |
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.