Compare towns
Olean vs Wright vs Hadley vs Amsterdam
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Olean has the most affordable homes ($86k median).
Wright has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.5%).
Hadley has the most people working from home (24.2%).
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 | Wright | Hadley | Amsterdam |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,738 |
1,739Lowest |
2,074 |
18,166Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-1.5%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-3.5% NY: +4.2% |
-2.2% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 39±2.6Lowest about the NY average |
51.4±4.7 29% above NY |
54.1±3Highest 36% above NY |
39.5±1.2 about the NY average |
| Hadley and Wright are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±2.9Highest NY: 20.5% |
16.7%±3.1 NY: 20.5% |
14.4%±3Lowest NY: 20.5% |
23%±2.3 NY: 20.5% |
| 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 NY: 17.9% |
21.4%±1.9 NY: 17.9% |
26.1%±4.6Highest NY: 17.9% |
19.5%±2.1 NY: 17.9% |
| Hadley and Wright are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.9%Highest NY: 40.2% |
24.4% NY: 40.2% |
25% NY: 40.2% |
22.5%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 NY: 7% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest NY: 7% |
2.1%±1.8Lowest NY: 7% |
4%±1Highest NY: 7% |
| 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 40% below NY |
$86,250±$13kHighest about the NY average |
$73,750±$32k 14% below NY |
$56,178±$8k 35% below NY |
| Wright and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $86,100±$6kLowest 80% below NY |
$242,000±$36kHighest 43% below NY |
$194,200±$30k 54% below NY |
$137,900±$11k 67% below NY |
| Wright and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52Lowest 51% below NY |
$953±$79 41% below NY |
$900±$293 44% below NY |
$1,006±$45Highest 38% below NY |
| Amsterdam and Wright are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,130 52% below NY |
$5,279Highest 20% below NY |
$2,375Lowest 64% below NY |
$4,369 34% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1Highest NY: 52.1% |
37.6%±16.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
44.3%±17 NY: 52.1% |
45.4%±6.8 NY: 52.1% |
| Olean and Amsterdam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 26.7%Highest NY: 14% |
7%Lowest NY: 14% |
11.5% NY: 14% |
20.2% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% NY: 54.3% |
80.6% NY: 54.3% |
83.7%Highest NY: 54.3% |
53%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1983Highest 24 yrs newer than NY |
1972 13 yrs newer than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 56% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
31 min 4% below NY |
21 min 37% below NY |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6 NY: 14.9% |
5.9%±2.8Lowest NY: 14.9% |
24.2%±23.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
10.5%±3.2 NY: 14.9% |
| Hadley and Amsterdam 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 | — | — | #474 of 484 in NY |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | — | AMSTERDAM CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NY 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.