Compare towns
Olean vs Sandgate vs Jay 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%).
Jay has the most expensive homes ($234k 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 | Jay | Oswego |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,738 |
435Lowest |
471 |
17,033Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5.8%Highest 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. |
52.1±10.5 34% above U.S. |
35.7±1.6Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Sandgate and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±7.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.2%±7.3 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% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sandgate 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.1%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%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
10.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $51,261±$7kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$69,167±$19k 14% below U.S. |
$74,792±$25kHighest 7% below U.S. |
$53,172±$4k 34% below U.S. |
| Jay 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. |
$234,200±$45kHighest 30% below U.S. |
$120,600±$7k 64% below U.S. |
| Jay 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. |
— | — | $1,109±$72Highest 22% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,130 about the U.S. average |
$2,778Lowest 11% below U.S. |
$3,588Highest 15% above U.S. |
$3,362 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100 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% |
9.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
97%Highest 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. |
2001Highest 21 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
40 minHighest 50% above U.S. |
19 min 30% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
34.6%±32.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±13.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.6%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sandgate and Jay 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 | — | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | 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.