Compare towns
Orange vs Oswego vs Olean
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orange has the most homeowners (84.9%).
Oswego has the most renters (49.8% rent).
Olean has grown the fastest since 2010 (-4.2%).
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 | Orange | Oswego | Olean |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,196Lowest |
17,033Highest |
1,664 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.5%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-6.7% NY: +4.2% |
-4.2%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 46.6±6.3 17% above NY |
35.7±1.6Lowest 10% below NY |
53.8±5.5Highest 35% above NY |
| Olean and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±4 NY: 20.5% |
21.9%±2.6Highest NY: 20.5% |
15.6%±4.5Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Oswego and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±4.1 NY: 17.9% |
18.3%±2.1Lowest NY: 17.9% |
25.2%±5.1Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Olean and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.8%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
26.1%Highest NY: 40.2% |
23.3% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±1.7Lowest NY: 7% |
10.1%±2Highest NY: 7% |
2.5%±1.5 NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $60,000±$9k 30% below NY |
$53,172±$4kLowest 38% below NY |
$74,583±$20kHighest 13% below NY |
| Olean and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $119,200±$17kLowest 72% below NY |
$120,600±$7k 72% below NY |
$158,600±$17kHighest 63% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $932±$81 43% below NY |
$1,109±$72Highest 32% below NY |
$666±$334Lowest 59% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,667Lowest 59% below NY |
$3,362 49% below NY |
$4,027Highest 39% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.1%±42.6Highest NY: 52.1% |
60.4%±7.4 NY: 52.1% |
57.1%±25.5Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Orange and Oswego are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
20.6%Highest NY: 14% |
16.3% NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Highest NY: 54.3% |
50.2%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
77.9% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 20 yrs newer than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1962 3 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 8% below NY |
19 minLowest 43% below NY |
19 min 43% below NY |
| Work from home | 8.1%±4.3 NY: 14.9% |
8.6%±2.9Highest NY: 14.9% |
5.8%±4.7Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Oswego and Orange 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 | — | #285 of 484 in NY | #337 of 484 in NY |
| School district | — | OSWEGO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | — | OSWEGO HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.