Compare towns
Olean vs Proctor vs Ellery vs Oswego
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).
Proctor has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.3%).
Ellery has the oldest population (median age 56.1).
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 | Proctor | Ellery | Oswego |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,738 |
1,794Lowest |
4,073 |
17,033Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±2.6 about the U.S. average |
42.4±6.4 9% above U.S. |
56.1±4.5Highest 44% above U.S. |
35.7±1.6Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±2.6 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% |
22.4%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.8%±6.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ellery and Proctor 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% |
28.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
10.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $51,261±$7kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$74,167±$12k 8% below U.S. |
$86,833±$12kHighest 8% above U.S. |
$53,172±$4k 34% below U.S. |
| Ellery and Proctor 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. |
$209,900±$17k 37% below U.S. |
$235,900±$29kHighest 29% below U.S. |
$120,600±$7k 64% below U.S. |
| Ellery and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$1,029±$202 27% below U.S. |
$845±$189 40% below U.S. |
$1,109±$72Highest 22% below U.S. |
| Oswego and Proctor 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 |
$4,032Highest 29% above U.S. |
$3,796 22% above U.S. |
$3,362 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
35.9%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
60.4%±7.4Highest 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% |
16.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.2%Lowest 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. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
22 min 16% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 12% below U.S. |
19 min 30% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.4%±4.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.5%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.6%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Proctor 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 | — | #241 of 484 in NY | #285 of 484 in NY |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 | BEMUS POINT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | OSWEGO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | Proctor Junior/Senior High School | MAPLE GROVE JUNIOR/SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | OSWEGO HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
8.7 |
7.6Lowest |
12.5Highest |
| 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.