United States › New York › Oswego CITY
Oswego New York · 17,024 residents (2025 est.) · 7.61 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Oswego is a city of 17,033 people in New York. Home values have risen by half since 2000, reaching $120,600. Owners hold 50% of the housing stock. Households here earn about 38% less than in New York as a whole. 2% of people here were born outside the United States. 26% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 35.7
US median: 38.9
Less educated
26% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 17,954 in 2000
17,024 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
2,237 / sq mi
−2%since 2009
from 2,274 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 34.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
17K 17K 18K 19K 19K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Oswego Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $53,172
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $28,248 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $16,558 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 21.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 23.0% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.465 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Education & health services 4.8%
Public administration 4.4%
Professional, scientific, technical 2.5%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.8%
Transportation & warehousing 1.3%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1.1%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$120,600
−4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $69,000 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,109
+23%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $496 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 52.3% in 2000
49.8% rent
from 12.6% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.33 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 21.6% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 51.6% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.2 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 94.1%(16,888)
Hispanic / Latino 2.8%(503)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 88.1%(15,009)
Hispanic / Latino 5.6%(962)
from 18 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 2 more hispanic origin groups with data Ancestry
+ 31 more ancestry groups with data from 21.2% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 79.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 9.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 12.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 81.2% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 8.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 1.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.2% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 5.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 15.2% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 11.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 55.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 71.2% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 19.0% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 32.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 2.6% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 12.8% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 7.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 80.8% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 89.5% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 79.8% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 93.6% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 3.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 46.8%(3,247)
Women 15+
Never married 35.1%(2,483)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 7.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 53.7% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 12.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 19.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 31.5% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 64.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 46.0% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 28.4%(230)
Gulf War (1990s) 12.8%(104)
Share of the 810 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Oswego, New York? Oswego, New York has about 17,033 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Oswego, New York? The typical household in Oswego, New York earns about $53,172 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Oswego, New York expensive? In Oswego, New York, the median home is worth about $120,600, and the typical rent is about $1,109 a month.
How educated are people in Oswego, New York? About 26.1% of adults age 25 and over in Oswego, New York hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Oswego, New York? About 20.6% of people in Oswego, New York live below the federal poverty line.
Has Oswego, New York grown since 1990? Yes, Oswego, New York has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 2,162 residents, a change of about -11 percent over that period.
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