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COUNTY

Oswego County

New York · 118,569 residents (2025 est.) · 952 sq mi
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The short version

Oswego County is a county of 117,953 people in New York. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 22% of adults. The typical home is worth $151,700, having more than doubled since 2000. The foreign-born share is 2%. 73% of homes are owner-occupied. Households here earn about 20% less than in New York as a whole.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 40.9
US median: 38.9
Less educated
22% 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

Total population
117,953
−4%since 2000
from 122,377 in 2000
118,569 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
124 / sq mi
−3%since 2009
from 128 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
40.9
+17%since 2000
from 35.0 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
952 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
117K118K120K121K123K19902000201020202024Oswego County
2024118K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.1%(6,032)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.7%(6,779)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146%(7,046)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 198%(9,437)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.8%(8,052)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3411.7%(13,770)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4411.7%(13,772)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411.9%(14,043)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6415.1%(17,839)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7411.2%(13,159)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845%(5,918)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.8%(2,106)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$69,183
+4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $36,598 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$35,765
+112%since 2000
from $16,853 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
46.3%
+21.7 ptssince 2009
from 24.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
16.3%
+2.3 ptssince 2000
from 14.0% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.444
+6%since 2010
from 0.420 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information13.6%
US avg: 10.8%
Retail trade10.6%
US avg: 9.9%
Wholesale trade8.4%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance8.2%
US avg: 5.9%
Other services5%
US avg: 6.7%
Professional, scientific, technical5%
US avg: 5.1%
Public administration3.6%
US avg: 4.8%
Education & health services3.2%
US avg: 0.9%
Transportation & warehousing2.2%
US avg: 2.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.6%
US avg: 1.6%
Arts, entertainment, food1.3%
US avg: 1.9%
Construction1.3%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0.3%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$151,700
+19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $69,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$967
+5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $507 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
73.4%
+0.7 ptssince 2000
from 72.8% in 2000
26.6% rent
Vacancy rate
13.9%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 14.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.39 people
−4%since 2009
from 2.49 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
21.1%
−3.4 ptssince 2009
from 24.5% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
45.8%
−2.6 ptssince 2009
from 48.3% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
2.2
+16%since 2009
from 1.9 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
53
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic96.5%(118,110)
Black0.6%(674)
Hispanic / Latino1.3%(1,592)
Asian0.4%(498)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic90.8%(107,150)
Black0.9%(1,074)
Hispanic / Latino3.3%(3,925)
Asian0.8%(923)
Other4.1%(4,881)
Diversity Score
21
+103%since 2009
from 11 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
24
−21%since 2020
from 31 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Puerto Rican1.5%(1,781)
Mexican0.8%(911)
Dominican0.2%(267)
Guatemalan0.1%(168)
Ecuadorian0.1%(131)
Argentine0.1%(111)
Cuban0%(48)
Chilean0%(38)
Peruvian0%(29)
+ 7 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Chinese0.2%(234)
Filipino0.1%(145)
Vietnamese0.1%(132)
Burmese0.1%(100)
Asian Indian0.1%(95)
Japanese0.1%(63)
Pakistani0%(28)
Nepalese0%(19)
Korean0%(15)
Thai0%(6)
+ 1 more asian origin group with data
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
Irish18.1%(21,309)
English14.8%(17,435)
German14.3%(16,863)
Italian12.6%(14,808)
American5.7%(6,776)
Polish5.4%(6,372)
French4.8%(5,709)
French Canadian2.1%(2,478)
Scottish1.9%(2,183)
Dutch1.7%(1,974)
Scotch-Irish0.8%(921)
Welsh0.8%(895)
+ 44 more ancestry groups with data
Ukrainian0.7%(868)
Swedish0.5%(643)
Norwegian0.5%(576)
Canadian0.5%(532)
British0.4%(494)
Russian0.4%(458)
Arab0.4%(445)
Hungarian0.3%(400)
Greek0.3%(302)
Lebanese0.2%(291)
West Indian0.2%(290)
Turkish0.2%(197)
Austrian0.2%(189)
Czech0.2%(189)
Danish0.1%(162)
Haitian0.1%(145)
Armenian0.1%(138)
Portuguese0.1%(136)
Lithuanian0.1%(120)
Swiss0.1%(93)
Jamaican0.1%(79)
Slovak0.1%(73)
Iranian0.1%(68)
Finnish0.1%(65)
Ghanaian0.1%(64)
Egyptian0.1%(61)
Romanian0.1%(60)
Belgian0%(48)
Nigerian0%(40)
Latvian0%(36)
Brazilian0%(32)
Israeli0%(29)
Ethiopian0%(24)
Moroccan0%(20)
Bulgarian0%(18)
Guyanese0%(17)
Syrian0%(16)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
21.6%
+7.2 ptssince 2000
from 14.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
89.9%
+9.4 ptssince 2000
from 80.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
8.3%
+3.0 ptssince 2000
from 5.3% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
25.1 min
+53%since 2000
from 16.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
78.4%
−1.2 ptssince 2009
from 79.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
8.0%
−3.0 ptssince 2009
from 10.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.6%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 0.9% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
8.3%
+4.9 ptssince 2009
from 3.4% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
2.9%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 4.0% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.0%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
8.4%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 7.7% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
7.0%
−3.1 ptssince 2011
from 10.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
59.6%
−2.0 ptssince 2011
from 61.7% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
71.9%
−1.0 ptssince 2020
from 72.9% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
16.9%
+1.4 ptssince 2009
from 15.6% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
34.7%
+8.1 ptssince 2009
from 26.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
50.3%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 49.5% in 2009
Female
49.7%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 50.5% in 2009
Foreign born
2.0%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 2.1% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
8.0%
−3.7 ptssince 2009
from 11.6% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
16.0%
+2.9 ptssince 2012
from 13.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
4.2%
−4.5 ptssince 2013
from 8.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
90.5%
+11.0 ptssince 2017
from 79.5% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
94.5%
+2.8 ptssince 2020
from 91.7% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
87.0%
+1.2 ptssince 2020
from 85.8% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
95.9%
+0.3 ptssince 2016
from 95.6% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
1.6%
−0.2 ptssince 2016
from 1.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married37.9%(18,616)
Married47.9%(23,530)
Widowed3%(1,453)
Divorced11.2%(5,519)
Women 15+
Never married31%(15,166)
Married48.6%(23,811)
Widowed9.2%(4,490)
Divorced11.3%(5,511)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
4.2%
−4.5 ptssince 2013
from 8.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
53.3%
−3.6 ptssince 2020
from 56.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
12.7%
+1.8 ptssince 2020
from 10.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
19.7%
+0.5 ptssince 2020
from 19.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
28.6%
+1.2 ptssince 2020
from 27.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
3.1%
−0.6 ptssince 2020
from 3.7% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
64.1%
−2.2 ptssince 2020
from 66.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
45.7%
+1.7 ptssince 2020
from 44.0% 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)22.1%(1,648)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)19.7%(1,464)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era33.2%(2,470)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War7.1%(530)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.7%(50)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 7,445 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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Head to head

Compare Oswego County to nearby counties

OSWEGO COUNTY VS
Onondaga County
Income$76,945+11%
Home value$200,200+32%
Population466,584+294%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
OSWEGO COUNTY VS
Cayuga County
Income$67,904−2%
Home value$171,000+13%
Population74,365−37%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
OSWEGO COUNTY VS
Jefferson County
Income$66,301−4%
Home value$188,200+24%
Population111,540−6%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
OSWEGO COUNTY VS
Oneida County
Income$70,154+1%
Home value$182,600+20%
Population226,392+91%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Oswego County, New York?

Oswego County, New York has about 117,953 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Oswego County, New York?

The typical household in Oswego County, New York earns about $69,183 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Oswego County, New York expensive?

In Oswego County, New York, the median home is worth about $151,700, and the typical rent is about $967 a month.

How educated are people in Oswego County, New York?

About 21.6% of adults age 25 and over in Oswego County, New York hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Oswego County, New York?

About 16.3% of people in Oswego County, New York live below the federal poverty line.

Has Oswego County, New York grown since 1990?

Yes, Oswego County, New York has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 3,818 residents, a change of about -3 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →

Oswego County, New York: demographics, income & housing data · CensusEasy