Population 32,348 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Oswego
Household size in Oswego
| Period | Oswego | Syracuse area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.44 | 2.51 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.33 | 2.50 | 2.72 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.30 | 2.46 | 2.69 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.40 | 2.34 | 2.65 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.04 | −0.17 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Oswego is a place of small households, averaging 2.40 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.44, as it has nationally. Households are largest in the east and smallest in the north.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Oswego
| Period | Oswego | Syracuse area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.6 | 38.9 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 36.7 | 39.7 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 36.8 | 40.7 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 36.6 | 41.4 | 40.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.0 | +2.5 | +2.5 | +2.3 |
Oswego is younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 36.6, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 35.6 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only 46 of the 488 New York cities with 5,000+ people are younger.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Oswego
| Period | Oswego | Syracuse area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.9% | 12.1% | 13.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.1% | 12.1% | 12.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.1% | 12.0% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 16.6% | 11.4% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +6.8 pts | −0.7 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Oswego: 16.6% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is up 6.8 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Only 26 of the 488 New York cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Oswego
Renters in Oswego
| Period | Oswego | Syracuse area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.5% | 31.6% | 44.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 39.2% | 32.9% | 46.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.4% | 32.9% | 46.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 37.8% | 31.6% | 45.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | −0.0 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Nearly four in ten households in Oswego rent their homes (37.8%), a bit above the national share of 34.8%. Among owners, 44.3% have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the northeast. The renter share is up 1.3 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Oswego
| Period | Oswego | Syracuse area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.4% | 11.2% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.4% | 11.4% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.9% | 13.0% | 11.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.3% | 9.4% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | −1.8 pts | −0.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs high in Oswego: 13.3% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Oswego has a higher vacancy rate than the great majority of New York cities.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Oswego
| Period | Oswego | Syracuse area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1959 | 1962 | 1956 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1958 | 1963 | 1957 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1960 | 1964 | 1958 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1965 | 1967 | 1961 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
Oswego is a place of older homes: half were built before 1965, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1959 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the east, the oldest in the north.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Oswego
| Period | Oswego | Syracuse area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $703 | $748 | $1,095 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $718 | $794 | $1,201 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $881 | $911 | $1,426 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,086 | $1,138 | $1,794 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$384 | +$390 | +$698 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Oswego costs $1,086 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $384 a month from 2006–10, a 55% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 31.8% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the south; the most affordable are in the north.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Oswego
Bachelor's degrees in Oswego
| Period | Oswego | Syracuse area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.9% | 28.7% | 31.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 27.1% | 30.7% | 33.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 27.6% | 31.8% | 36.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 27.8% | 35.8% | 39.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.9 pts | +7.2 pts | +8.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
More than a quarter of adults 25 and older in Oswego (27.8%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 4.9 points, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the southwest and least in the northeast.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Oswego
| Period | Oswego | Syracuse area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 87.4% | 88.6% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 87.9% | 89.1% | 84.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.4% | 90.3% | 86.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 89.7% | 91.3% | 87.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.3 pts | +2.7 pts | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in Oswego have finished high school as nationally: 89.7%, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in the Syracuse area as a whole (91.3%). The share with a diploma is up 2.3 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Oswego
| Period | Oswego | Syracuse area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.3% | 7.3% | 7.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.9% | 8.5% | 9.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.0% | 5.8% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.2% | 5.6% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | −1.7 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Oswego: 9.2% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Of the 488 New York cities with 5,000+ people, only 12 have higher unemployment. Unemployment has fallen 2.1 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Oswego compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oswego | 2.40 | 36.6 | 16.6% | 37.8% | 13.3% | 1965 | $1,086 | 27.8% | 89.7% | 9.2% |
| Minetto | 2.51 | 46.1 | 8.0% | 13.3% | 4.8% | 1967 | $853 | 35.8% | 94.2% | 8.6% |
| Scriba Center | 2.34 | 51.6 | 10.5% | 5.6% | 5.3% | 1981 | $984 | 19.3% | 93.7% | 6.2% |
| Furniss | 2.47 | 44.2 | 1.7% | 7.5% | 13.1% | 1977 | $1,125 | 27.7% | 93.9% | 11.8% |
| Seneca Hill | 2.69 | 35.7 | 20.3% | 21.9% | 2.2% | 1970 | $935 | 21.3% | 85.3% | 1.8% |
| Southwest Oswego | 2.44 | 40.4 | 4.6% | 6.3% | 17.5% | 1977 | $911 | 41.3% | 89.4% | 10.5% |
| North Hannibal | 2.24 | 37.8 | 6.6% | 20.0% | 14.6% | 1983 | $1,351 | 7.3% | 88.0% | 1.0% |
| Mount Pleasant | 2.26 | 45.3 | 12.5% | 11.7% | 2.7% | 1980 | $941 | 19.8% | 91.3% | 7.5% |
| Shore Oaks | 2.41 | 51.0 | 7.7% | 4.3% | 10.2% | 1977 | $1,002 | 20.7% | 97.0% | 5.2% |
| Granby Center | 2.51 | 45.4 | 18.0% | 38.2% | 8.8% | 1966 | $1,071 | 20.8% | 91.7% | 2.5% |
| Sterling Valley | 2.48 | 48.7 | 2.5% | 12.8% | 40.5% | 1958 | $583 | 37.6% | 91.3% | 4.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Athens, OH · Bella Vista, AR · Orcutt, CA · Needham, MA · New City, NY · Newberg, OR · Newington, CT · Newtown, PA · Niles, IL · Norfolk, NE
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Oswego. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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