Compare towns
Olean vs Mohawk vs Amsterdam
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).
Mohawk has the most homeowners (71.7%).
Amsterdam has grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.2%).
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 | Mohawk | Amsterdam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,738 |
2,520Lowest |
18,166Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6% NY: +4.2% |
-11.6%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-2.2%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 39±2.6Lowest about the NY average |
48.5±4.8Highest 22% above NY |
39.5±1.2 about the NY average |
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±2.9Highest NY: 20.5% |
19.6%±5.2Lowest NY: 20.5% |
23%±2.3 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%±2.5Lowest NY: 17.9% |
22%±6.1Highest NY: 17.9% |
19.5%±2.1 NY: 17.9% |
| Mohawk and Amsterdam 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% |
23.5% NY: 40.2% |
22.5%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 NY: 7% |
1.9%±1.5Lowest NY: 7% |
4%±1Highest NY: 7% |
| Amsterdam and Olean 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 40% below NY |
$72,813±$19kHighest 15% below NY |
$56,178±$8k 35% below NY |
| Mohawk 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 |
$124,600±$28k 71% below NY |
$137,900±$11kHighest 67% below NY |
| Amsterdam and Mohawk 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 |
$705±$34Lowest 57% below NY |
$1,006±$45Highest 38% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,130Lowest 52% below NY |
$3,380 49% below NY |
$4,369Highest 34% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1Highest NY: 52.1% |
14.3%±11.9Lowest NY: 52.1% |
45.4%±6.8 NY: 52.1% |
| Olean and Amsterdam 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% |
15.1%Lowest NY: 14% |
20.2% NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% NY: 54.3% |
71.7%Highest NY: 54.3% |
53%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938 21 yrs older than NY |
1938 21 yrs older than NY |
1938 21 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 56% below NY |
23 minHighest 30% below NY |
21 min 37% below NY |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
9.9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
10.5%±3.2Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Amsterdam and Mohawk 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 |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | AMSTERDAM CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
— | — |
| 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.