Compare towns
Olean vs Waterbury 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).
Waterbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.3%).
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 | Waterbury | Amsterdam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,738 |
5,405Lowest |
18,166Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±2.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.2±3.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
39.5±1.2 about the U.S. average |
| Waterbury and Amsterdam 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% |
21.9%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Olean and Amsterdam 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% |
19.8%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Waterbury and Amsterdam 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% |
54.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Amsterdam 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. |
$103,917±$23kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$56,178±$8k 30% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $86,100±$6kLowest 74% below U.S. |
$447,200±$40kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$137,900±$11k 59% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$1,027±$535Highest 27% below U.S. |
$1,006±$45 29% below U.S. |
| Waterbury and Amsterdam 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 |
$6,435Highest 106% above U.S. |
$4,369 40% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.8%±21.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.4%±6.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Olean and Waterbury 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% |
7.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
53%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
21 min 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±3.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #337 of 484 in NY | #20 of 70 in VT | #474 of 484 in NY |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | AMSTERDAM CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | 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 |
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.