Compare towns
Olean vs Sandgate vs Massena 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 shortest commute (14 min average).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
Lockport has the youngest population (median age 36.8).
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 | Massena | Lockport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,738 |
435Lowest |
10,238 |
20,610Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -7.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±2.6 about the U.S. average |
55.7±5.4Highest 43% above U.S. |
42.6±4.7 10% above U.S. |
36.8±2Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±7.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
21.5%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Olean and Lockport 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% |
20.4%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sandgate and Massena 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
24.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lockport and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $51,261±$7kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$69,167±$19kHighest 14% below U.S. |
$51,458±$7k 36% below U.S. |
$62,410±$7k 23% below U.S. |
| Sandgate 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. |
$193,800±$31kHighest 42% below U.S. |
$94,400±$15k 72% below U.S. |
$139,900±$11k 58% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52 44% below U.S. |
— | $722±$44Lowest 49% below U.S. |
$945±$43Highest 33% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,130 about the U.S. average |
$2,778Lowest 11% below U.S. |
$3,218 3% above U.S. |
$4,022Highest 29% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.8%±11.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±7.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Massena 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
24.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1959Highest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1954 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1941 39 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 3% above U.S. |
18 min 32% below U.S. |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
34.6%±32.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.2%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sandgate and Lockport 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 | — | — | #289 of 484 in NY |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | — | LOCKPORT CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — | — | LOCKPORT HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
— | — | 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.