Compare towns
Olean vs Oswego vs Rochester
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).
Oswego has the most renters (49.8% rent).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
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 | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,738 |
17,033Highest |
1,389Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±2.6 about the U.S. average |
35.7±1.6Lowest 8% below U.S. |
53.3±7.6Highest 37% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest 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% |
18.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
10.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $51,261±$7kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$53,172±$4k 34% below U.S. |
$72,676±$8kHighest 10% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $86,100±$6kLowest 74% below U.S. |
$120,600±$7k 64% below U.S. |
$253,600±$81kHighest 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$1,109±$72Highest 22% below U.S. |
$929±$158 34% below U.S. |
| Oswego and Rochester 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 |
$3,362 8% above U.S. |
$3,977Highest 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
60.4%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.4%±27.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Rochester and Oswego 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% |
20.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Highest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
19 min 30% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.6%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
40.8%±27.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #337 of 484 in NY | #285 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | OSWEGO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | OSWEGO HIGH SCHOOL | None in town |
| 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.