Compare towns
Union vs Olean vs Niagara Falls vs Clay
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 the oldest population (median age 41.4).
Olean has the most affordable homes ($86k median).
Clay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).
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 | Clay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 55,078 |
13,738Lowest |
47,987 |
59,995Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.4% NY: +4.2% |
-3.6%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-3% NY: +4.2% |
+4%Highest 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 |
39.8±1 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% |
20.1%±1.3 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% |
18.7%±1.1 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% NY: 40.2% |
29.9% NY: 40.2% |
22.7%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
38.2%Highest 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% |
4.4%±0.7 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±$2k 28% below NY |
$51,261±$7k 40% below NY |
$49,101±$2kLowest 43% below NY |
$90,707±$6kHighest 6% above NY |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $149,900±$5k 65% below NY |
$86,100±$6kLowest 80% below NY |
$115,300±$6k 73% below NY |
$205,900±$6kHighest 51% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $936±$37 42% below NY |
$794±$52Lowest 51% below NY |
$823±$33 49% below NY |
$1,240±$40Highest 24% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,200 36% below NY |
$3,130 52% below NY |
$2,786Lowest 58% below NY |
$5,087Highest 23% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±5.6 NY: 52.1% |
52%±9.1 NY: 52.1% |
58.4%±6.1Highest NY: 52.1% |
46.6%±5.6Lowest 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% NY: 14% |
26.7%Highest NY: 14% |
23.7% NY: 14% |
8.4%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9% NY: 54.3% |
55.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
58.5% NY: 54.3% |
71.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955 4 yrs older than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1949 10 yrs older than NY |
1978Highest 19 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 46% below NY |
14 minLowest 56% below NY |
19 min 41% below NY |
21 minHighest 34% below NY |
| Work from home | 9%±1.5 NY: 14.9% |
8.4%±2.6 NY: 14.9% |
7.4%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
13.1%±1.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #199 of 484 in NY | #337 of 484 in NY | #427 of 484 in NY | #249 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 | LIVERPOOL CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · NORTH SYRACUSE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | UNION-ENDICOTT HIGH SCHOOL | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | NIAGARA FALLS HIGH SCHOOL | LIVERPOOL HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
12.2 |
15.3Highest |
14.0 |
| 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.