Compare towns
Olean vs Oswego vs Vernon
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).
Vernon has the most people working from home (19.4%).
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 | Vernon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,738 |
17,033Highest |
1,238Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6% NY: +4.2% |
-6.7%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+0.4%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 39±2.6 about the NY average |
35.7±1.6Lowest 10% below NY |
47.1±6.5Highest 18% above NY |
| Vernon 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% |
14.3%±4.8Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| 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 NY: 17.9% |
18.3%±2.1Lowest NY: 17.9% |
20.3%±2.8Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Vernon 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% |
18.1%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest NY: 7% |
10.1%±2Highest NY: 7% |
8.2%±5.1 NY: 7% |
| Oswego and Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $51,261±$7kLowest 40% below NY |
$53,172±$4k 38% below NY |
$63,988±$15kHighest 26% below NY |
| Vernon and Oswego 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 |
$184,300±$23kHighest 57% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52Lowest 51% below NY |
$1,109±$72Highest 32% below NY |
$921±$54 43% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,130Lowest 52% below NY |
$3,362 49% below NY |
$3,393Highest 48% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1 NY: 52.1% |
60.4%±7.4Highest NY: 52.1% |
40.8%±19Lowest 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% |
12.4%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% NY: 54.3% |
50.2%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
59.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1942Highest 17 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 56% below NY |
19 min 43% below NY |
22 minHighest 32% below NY |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
8.6%±2.9 NY: 14.9% |
19.4%±18.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Vernon and Oswego 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 | #368 of 484 in NY |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | OSWEGO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | 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 |
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.