Compare towns
Olean vs Panama vs Gerry vs Oswego
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 shortest commute (14 min average).
Gerry has the most homeowners (75.2%).
Oswego has the most renters (49.8% rent).
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 | Panama | Gerry | Oswego |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,738 |
451Lowest |
1,668 |
17,033Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6%Highest NY: +4.2% |
— | -6.5% NY: +4.2% |
-6.7%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 39±2.6 about the NY average |
46.6±6.9 17% above NY |
52.4±5.7Highest 32% above NY |
35.7±1.6Lowest 10% below NY |
| Gerry and Panama 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% |
12.4%±3.1Lowest NY: 20.5% |
20.9%±3.9 NY: 20.5% |
21.9%±2.6 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% |
23.3%±6.3 NY: 17.9% |
29.9%±3.1Highest NY: 17.9% |
18.3%±2.1Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Gerry and Panama 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% |
19.9%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
23.4% NY: 40.2% |
26.1% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 NY: 7% |
4.7%±2.8 NY: 7% |
3.4%±2.3Lowest NY: 7% |
10.1%±2Highest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $51,261±$7kLowest 40% below NY |
$60,865±$8k 29% below NY |
$68,667±$12kHighest 20% below NY |
$53,172±$4k 38% below NY |
| Gerry and Panama 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 |
$105,400±$14k 75% below NY |
$119,200±$10k 72% below NY |
$120,600±$7kHighest 72% below NY |
| Oswego and Gerry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52 51% below NY |
$785±$43Lowest 52% below NY |
$1,138±$260Highest 30% below NY |
$1,109±$72 32% below NY |
| Gerry and Oswego are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,130 52% below NY |
$2,500Lowest 62% below NY |
$2,606 60% below NY |
$3,362Highest 49% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1 NY: 52.1% |
41.9%±24.1Lowest NY: 52.1% |
61.2%±16.1Highest NY: 52.1% |
60.4%±7.4 NY: 52.1% |
| Gerry 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 NY: 14% |
12.9% NY: 14% |
9%Lowest NY: 14% |
20.6% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% NY: 54.3% |
55.3% NY: 54.3% |
75.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
50.2%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1965 6 yrs newer than NY |
1967Highest 8 yrs newer than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 56% below NY |
24 min 27% below NY |
27 minHighest 17% below NY |
19 min 43% below NY |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6 NY: 14.9% |
4.9%±2.9Lowest NY: 14.9% |
6.2%±4.2 NY: 14.9% |
8.6%±2.9Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Oswego and Olean 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 |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | CASSADAGA VALLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | OSWEGO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — | CASSADAGA VALLEY MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL | OSWEGO HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
— | 8.7Lowest |
12.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.