What stands out worked out from the figures below

Lockport has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.4%).

Oswego has the shortest commute (19 min average).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Lockport	Oswego
People
Population	20,610Highest	17,033Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-1.4%Highest NY: +4.2%	-6.7%Lowest NY: +4.2%
Median age	36.8±2Highest 8% below NY	35.7±1.6Lowest 10% below NY
	Lockport and Oswego are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.5%±2.4Lowest NY: 20.5%	21.9%±2.6Highest NY: 20.5%
	Oswego and Lockport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.3%±1.9Lowest NY: 17.9%	18.3%±2.1Highest NY: 17.9%
	Oswego and Lockport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.6%Lowest NY: 40.2%	26.1%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.5Lowest NY: 7%	10.1%±2Highest NY: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$62,410±$7kHighest 27% below NY	$53,172±$4kLowest 38% below NY
	Lockport and Oswego are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$139,900±$11kHighest 67% below NY	$120,600±$7kLowest 72% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$945±$43Lowest 42% below NY	$1,109±$72Highest 32% below NY
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,022Highest 39% below NY	$3,362Lowest 49% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	40.3%±7.1Lowest NY: 52.1%	60.4%±7.4Highest NY: 52.1%
Below poverty line	15.2%Lowest NY: 14%	20.6%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	58.8%Highest NY: 54.3%	50.2%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1941Highest 18 yrs older than NY	1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest 28% below NY	19 minLowest 43% below NY
Work from home	9%±2.3Highest NY: 14.9%	8.6%±2.9Lowest NY: 14.9%
	Lockport and Oswego 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	#289 of 484 in NY	#285 of 484 in NY
School district	LOCKPORT CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT	OSWEGO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	LOCKPORT HIGH SCHOOL	OSWEGO HIGH SCHOOL
Students per teacherat that high school	11.7Lowest	12.5Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.