Compare towns
Olean vs Waterville 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).
Waterville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).
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 | Waterville | Oswego |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,738 |
680Lowest |
17,033Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±2.6 about the U.S. average |
49.1±8.2Highest 26% above U.S. |
35.7±1.6Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Waterville and Olean 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% |
20.4%±8.2Lowest 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%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Olean and Oswego 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% |
32.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
10.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Oswego and Waterville 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. |
$71,250±$27kHighest 12% below U.S. |
$53,172±$4k 34% below U.S. |
| Waterville and Oswego 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. |
$236,300±$15kHighest 29% below U.S. |
$120,600±$7k 64% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$1,110±$93Highest 21% below U.S. |
$1,109±$72 22% below U.S. |
| Waterville and Oswego 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 |
$3,957Highest 27% above U.S. |
$3,362 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±27.2Lowest 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% |
4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
38 minHighest 42% above U.S. |
19 min 30% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.5%±3 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.6%±2.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Oswego and Waterville 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 | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A | 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 |
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.