Compare towns
Olean vs Wright vs Massena vs Lockport
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 shortest commute (14 min average).
Wright has the most expensive homes ($242k median).
Lockport has the most people working from home (9%).
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 | Massena | Lockport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,738 |
1,739Lowest |
10,238 |
20,610Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6% NY: +4.2% |
-1.5% NY: +4.2% |
-7.2%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-1.4%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 39±2.6 about the NY average |
51.4±4.7Highest 29% above NY |
42.6±4.7 7% above NY |
36.8±2Lowest 8% below NY |
| Wright and Massena 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%±3.1Lowest NY: 20.5% |
19.4%±3.4 NY: 20.5% |
21.5%±2.4 NY: 20.5% |
| Olean and Lockport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±2.5 NY: 17.9% |
21.4%±1.9Highest NY: 17.9% |
20.4%±3.3 NY: 17.9% |
16.3%±1.9Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Wright and Massena 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%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
25.1% NY: 40.2% |
24.6% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 NY: 7% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest NY: 7% |
2.9%±1.4 NY: 7% |
5.6%±1.5Highest NY: 7% |
| Lockport 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 |
$51,458±$7k 40% below NY |
$62,410±$7k 27% below NY |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $86,100±$6kLowest 80% below NY |
$242,000±$36kHighest 43% below NY |
$94,400±$15k 78% below NY |
$139,900±$11k 67% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52 51% below NY |
$953±$79Highest 41% below NY |
$722±$44Lowest 55% below NY |
$945±$43 42% below NY |
| Wright and Lockport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,130Lowest 52% below NY |
$5,279Highest 20% below NY |
$3,218 51% below NY |
$4,022 39% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1 NY: 52.1% |
37.6%±16.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
57.8%±11.4Highest NY: 52.1% |
40.3%±7.1 NY: 52.1% |
| Massena 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 NY: 14% |
7%Lowest NY: 14% |
24.3% NY: 14% |
15.2% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
80.6%Highest NY: 54.3% |
55.4% NY: 54.3% |
58.8% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1983Highest 24 yrs newer than NY |
1954 5 yrs older than NY |
1941 18 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 56% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
18 min 45% below NY |
24 min 28% below NY |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6 NY: 14.9% |
5.9%±2.8 NY: 14.9% |
5.2%±2.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
9%±2.3Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Lockport and Olean 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 | — | — | #289 of 484 in NY |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | — | LOCKPORT CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — | — | LOCKPORT HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
— | — | 11.7Lowest |
| 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.