Compare towns
Olean vs Norwich vs Oswego
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).
Norwich has the most expensive homes ($638k median).
Oswego has the most renters (49.8% rent).
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 | Norwich | Oswego |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,738 |
3,640Lowest |
17,033Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±2.6 about the U.S. average |
40.8±3.2Highest 5% above U.S. |
35.7±1.6Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Norwich and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Norwich and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
81%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
10.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $51,261±$7kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$140,313±$12kHighest 74% above U.S. |
$53,172±$4k 34% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $86,100±$6kLowest 74% below U.S. |
$637,500±$76kHighest 92% above U.S. |
$120,600±$7k 64% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$1,460±$322Highest 3% above U.S. |
$1,109±$72 22% below U.S. |
| Norwich and Oswego are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,130Lowest about the U.S. average |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,362 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.7%±19.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
60.4%±7.4Highest 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% |
2.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
19 minHighest 28% below U.S. |
19 min 30% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.6%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #337 of 484 in NY | #1 of 70 in VT | #285 of 484 in NY |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | Norwich 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 | 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.