Compare towns
Olean vs Sandgate vs Castleton 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).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
Castleton has the most expensive homes ($225k median).
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 | Sandgate | Castleton | Oswego |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,738 |
435Lowest |
4,453 |
17,033Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±2.6 about the U.S. average |
55.7±5.4Highest 43% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3 about the U.S. average |
35.7±1.6Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±7.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4 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% |
26%±11.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sandgate and Castleton 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% |
37.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
10.1%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $51,261±$7kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$69,167±$19k 14% below U.S. |
$73,854±$23kHighest 9% below U.S. |
$53,172±$4k 34% below U.S. |
| Castleton and Sandgate 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. |
$193,800±$31k 42% below U.S. |
$224,800±$71kHighest 32% below U.S. |
$120,600±$7k 64% below U.S. |
| Castleton and Sandgate 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. |
— | $1,137±$195Highest 20% below U.S. |
$1,109±$72 22% below U.S. |
| Castleton and Oswego are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,130 about the U.S. average |
$2,778Lowest 11% below U.S. |
$3,167 about the U.S. average |
$3,362Highest 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
60.4%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton 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% |
9.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
20.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 3% above U.S. |
19 min 27% below U.S. |
19 min 30% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
34.6%±32.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.6%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sandgate 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 | — | #39 of 70 in VT | #285 of 484 in NY |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | OSWEGO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — | None in town | 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 | 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.