Compare towns
Olean vs Strafford vs Thetford vs Amsterdam
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).
Strafford has the most expensive homes ($431k median).
Thetford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Amsterdam has the most renters (47% 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 | Strafford | Thetford | Amsterdam |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,738 |
1,372Lowest |
2,813 |
18,166Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±2.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
51.4±4.7Highest 32% above U.S. |
43.6±6.2 12% above U.S. |
39.5±1.2 about the U.S. average |
| Strafford and Thetford 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% |
23%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Olean and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.8%±6 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Strafford and Thetford 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% |
53.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
68%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±4.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Thetford and Strafford 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. |
$110,833±$19kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$88,045±$16k 9% above U.S. |
$56,178±$8k 30% below U.S. |
| Strafford and Thetford 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. |
$431,300±$40kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$329,500±$96k about the U.S. average |
$137,900±$11k 59% below U.S. |
| Strafford and Thetford 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. |
$1,125±$789 20% below U.S. |
$1,141±$96Highest 19% below U.S. |
$1,006±$45 29% below U.S. |
| Thetford and Strafford 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 |
$7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
$6,948 123% above U.S. |
$4,369 40% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±30.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.4%±6.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Olean and Thetford 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% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8% U.S.: 12.5% |
20.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
53%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 13% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
21 min 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±6.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±3.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Strafford and Thetford 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 | — | #40 of 70 in VT | #474 of 484 in NY |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | Strafford School District | Thetford School District | AMSTERDAM CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 18 photos → |
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.