Compare towns

Olean vs Worcester vs Amsterdam vs Weston Mills

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).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
Amsterdam has the most renters (47% rent).
Weston Mills has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).

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.

MeasureOleanWorcesterAmsterdamWeston Mills
People
Population
13,738
831Lowest
18,166Highest
1,431
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-3.6%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
-3.4%
U.S.: +7.4%
-2.2%
U.S.: +7.4%
+3.6%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
39±2.6Lowest
about the U.S. average
47±2.7
21% above U.S.
39.5±1.2
about the U.S. average
54.3±4.3Highest
40% above U.S.
Kids under 18
23.5%±2.9Highest
U.S.: 22%
12.8%±3.9
U.S.: 22%
23%±2.3
U.S.: 22%
12.7%±5.2Lowest
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%
19.5%±2.5
U.S.: 17.2%
19.5%±2.1
U.S.: 17.2%
32.4%±4.5Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
29.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
53%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
22.5%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
26.2%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.6%±1.1
U.S.: 6.4%
6.9%±4.7Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
4%±1
U.S.: 6.4%
0.8%±1Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Worcester and Amsterdam 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.
$73,833±$18k
9% below U.S.
$56,178±$8k
30% below U.S.
$79,712±$18kHighest
about the U.S. average
Weston Mills and Worcester 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.
$271,100±$27kHighest
19% below U.S.
$137,900±$11k
59% below U.S.
$155,300±$23k
53% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$794±$52
44% below U.S.
$1,023±$136Highest
28% below U.S.
$1,006±$45
29% below U.S.
$775±$177Lowest
45% below U.S.
Worcester 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
$4,421Highest
42% above U.S.
$4,369
40% above U.S.
$3,393
9% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
52%±9.1
U.S.: 51.1%
25.5%±37Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
45.4%±6.8
U.S.: 51.1%
63%±28.8Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Weston Mills 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%
5.9%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
20.2%
U.S.: 12.5%
7.9%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
55.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
85.9%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
53%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
78.7%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1938Lowest
42 yrs older than U.S.
1976Highest
4 yrs older than U.S.
1938Lowest
42 yrs older than U.S.
1967
13 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
14 minLowest
45% below U.S.
29 minHighest
9% above U.S.
21 min
22% below U.S.
16 min
38% below U.S.
Work from home
8.4%±2.6
U.S.: 15.1%
23.6%±4.8Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
10.5%±3.2
U.S.: 15.1%
7.1%±5.9Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #337 of 484 in NY — #474 of 484 in NY —
School district OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 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
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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.