Compare towns
Olean vs Oswego vs Sharon 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).
Oswego has the most renters (49.8% rent).
Sharon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
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 | Oswego | Sharon | Lockport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,738 |
17,033 |
1,577Lowest |
20,610Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±2.6 about the U.S. average |
35.7±1.6Lowest 8% below U.S. |
45.6±7.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
36.8±2 5% below U.S. |
| Sharon 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 U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
21%±5Lowest 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% |
18.3%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.1%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sharon 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
10.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $51,261±$7kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$53,172±$4k 34% below U.S. |
$84,375±$17kHighest 5% above U.S. |
$62,410±$7k 23% below U.S. |
| Sharon 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. |
$120,600±$7k 64% below U.S. |
$346,700±$37kHighest 4% above U.S. |
$139,900±$11k 58% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$1,109±$72 22% below U.S. |
$1,386±$155Highest about the U.S. average |
$945±$43 33% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,130Lowest about the U.S. average |
$3,362 8% above U.S. |
$5,903Highest 89% above U.S. |
$4,022 29% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
60.4%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest 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% |
20.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1941 39 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
19 min 30% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.6%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sharon 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 | — | #289 of 484 in NY |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | OSWEGO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | Sharon 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 | 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.