Compare towns
Olean vs Oswego vs Stowe
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).
Stowe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+21.1%).
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 | Stowe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,738 |
17,033Highest |
5,285Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+21.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±2.6 about the U.S. average |
35.7±1.6Lowest 8% below U.S. |
46.3±7.6Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Stowe 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%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Olean and Stowe 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% |
25.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stowe 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
66.7%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% |
1.6%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $51,261±$7kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$53,172±$4k 34% below U.S. |
$93,618±$33kHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $86,100±$6kLowest 74% below U.S. |
$120,600±$7k 64% below U.S. |
$647,800±$157kHighest 95% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$1,109±$72 22% below U.S. |
$1,458±$242Highest 3% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,130Lowest about the U.S. average |
$3,362 8% above U.S. |
$7,161Highest 130% 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% |
24.5%±15.9Lowest 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% |
9.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
19 min 30% below U.S. |
19 minHighest 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.6%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.4%±8.9Highest 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 | Stowe Town School District |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | OSWEGO HIGH SCHOOL | Stowe High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
12.5Highest |
11.3Lowest |
| 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.