Compare towns
Olean vs Reading vs Oswego 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).
Reading has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.2%).
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 | Reading | Oswego | Lockport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,738 |
699Lowest |
17,033 |
20,610Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±2.6 about the U.S. average |
51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
35.7±1.6Lowest 8% below U.S. |
36.8±2 5% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±2.6 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% |
28.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
24.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
10.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $51,261±$7kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$85,000±$19kHighest 5% above U.S. |
$53,172±$4k 34% below U.S. |
$62,410±$7k 23% below U.S. |
| Reading 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. |
$377,200±$72kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$120,600±$7k 64% below U.S. |
$139,900±$11k 58% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$1,100±$331 22% below U.S. |
$1,109±$72Highest 22% below U.S. |
$945±$43 33% below U.S. |
| Oswego and Reading 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 |
$5,754Highest 84% above U.S. |
$3,362 8% above U.S. |
$4,022 29% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
60.4%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±7.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Highest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1941 39 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
19 min 30% below U.S. |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.6%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | OSWEGO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | LOCKPORT CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | OSWEGO HIGH SCHOOL | 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.