Compare towns
Olean vs Oswego vs Amsterdam vs Lockport
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).
Oswego has the most renters (49.8% rent).
Amsterdam has the most people working from home (10.5%).
Lockport has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.4%).
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 | Oswego | Amsterdam | Lockport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,738Lowest |
17,033 |
18,166 |
20,610Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6% NY: +4.2% |
-6.7%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-2.2% NY: +4.2% |
-1.4%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 39±2.6 about the NY average |
35.7±1.6Lowest 10% below NY |
39.5±1.2Highest about the NY average |
36.8±2 8% below NY |
| Amsterdam 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% |
21.9%±2.6 NY: 20.5% |
23%±2.3 NY: 20.5% |
21.5%±2.4Lowest 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% |
18.3%±2.1 NY: 17.9% |
19.5%±2.1Highest NY: 17.9% |
16.3%±1.9Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Amsterdam and Olean 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% |
26.1% NY: 40.2% |
22.5%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
24.6% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest NY: 7% |
10.1%±2Highest NY: 7% |
4%±1 NY: 7% |
5.6%±1.5 NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $51,261±$7kLowest 40% below NY |
$53,172±$4k 38% below NY |
$56,178±$8k 35% below NY |
$62,410±$7kHighest 27% below NY |
| Lockport 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 |
$120,600±$7k 72% below NY |
$137,900±$11k 67% below NY |
$139,900±$11kHighest 67% below NY |
| Lockport and Amsterdam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52Lowest 51% below NY |
$1,109±$72Highest 32% below NY |
$1,006±$45 38% below NY |
$945±$43 42% 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 | $3,130Lowest 52% below NY |
$3,362 49% below NY |
$4,369Highest 34% below NY |
$4,022 39% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1 NY: 52.1% |
60.4%±7.4Highest NY: 52.1% |
45.4%±6.8 NY: 52.1% |
40.3%±7.1Lowest 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% |
20.6% NY: 14% |
20.2% NY: 14% |
15.2%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% NY: 54.3% |
50.2%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
53% NY: 54.3% |
58.8%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1941Highest 18 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 56% below NY |
19 min 43% below NY |
21 min 37% below NY |
24 minHighest 28% below NY |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
8.6%±2.9 NY: 14.9% |
10.5%±3.2Highest NY: 14.9% |
9%±2.3 NY: 14.9% |
| Amsterdam and Lockport 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 | #474 of 484 in NY | #289 of 484 in NY |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | OSWEGO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | AMSTERDAM CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | LOCKPORT CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | OSWEGO HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | 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 | 12 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.