Compare towns
Union vs Olean vs Niagara Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Union has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.4%).
Olean has the most affordable homes ($86k median).
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 | Union | Olean | Niagara Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 55,078Highest |
13,738Lowest |
47,987 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.4%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-3.6%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-3% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 41.4±1.2Highest 4% above NY |
39±2.6Lowest about the NY average |
40.8±1.3 about the NY average |
| Union and Niagara Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±1.3Lowest NY: 20.5% |
23.5%±2.9Highest NY: 20.5% |
21.2%±1.4 NY: 20.5% |
| Olean and Niagara Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±1.3Highest NY: 17.9% |
19.1%±2.5 NY: 17.9% |
18.5%±1.2Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Union and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33%Highest NY: 40.2% |
29.9% NY: 40.2% |
22.7%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±0.9Highest NY: 7% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest NY: 7% |
4.7%±1 NY: 7% |
| Union and Niagara Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,713±$2kHighest 28% below NY |
$51,261±$7k 40% below NY |
$49,101±$2kLowest 43% below NY |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $149,900±$5kHighest 65% below NY |
$86,100±$6kLowest 80% below NY |
$115,300±$6k 73% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $936±$37Highest 42% below NY |
$794±$52Lowest 51% below NY |
$823±$33 49% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,200Highest 36% below NY |
$3,130 52% below NY |
$2,786Lowest 58% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±5.6Lowest NY: 52.1% |
52%±9.1 NY: 52.1% |
58.4%±6.1Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Niagara Falls and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.2%Lowest NY: 14% |
26.7%Highest NY: 14% |
23.7% NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Highest NY: 54.3% |
55.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
58.5% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Highest 4 yrs older than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1949 10 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 46% below NY |
14 minLowest 56% below NY |
19 minHighest 41% below NY |
| Work from home | 9%±1.5Highest NY: 14.9% |
8.4%±2.6 NY: 14.9% |
7.4%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Union 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 | #199 of 484 in NY | #337 of 484 in NY | #427 of 484 in NY |
| School district | UNION-ENDICOTT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · JOHNSON CITY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | NIAGARA FALLS CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | UNION-ENDICOTT HIGH SCHOOL | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | NIAGARA FALLS HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
12.2 |
15.3Highest |
| 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.