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Compare towns

Oswego vs Bartlett

21 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+14.1 pts in Oswego) and conserved land (+9.4 pts in Bartlett).

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Oswego, ILHomes around $423KIllinois · 36,375 people
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Bartlett, ILAn outdoors townIllinois · 40,501 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

OswegoHomes around $423K
Housing$423K typical home42% above the IL typical home Outdoors#201 most conserved land in IL8.6 miles of trails across 40 parks and preserves HealthHealthier than 85%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Oswego →
BartlettAn outdoors town
Outdoors#47 most conserved land in IL7.0 miles of trails across 32 parks and preserves HealthHealthier than 94%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates SafetySafer than 92%of U.S. towns we grade All about Bartlett →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Growth since 2010+14.1 pts
Oswego has grown faster since 2010
Oswego +13.9%Bartlett -0.2%
Conserved land+9.4 pts
Bartlett has more conserved land
Bartlett 17.2%Oswego 7.8%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $150 more a month in Bartlett

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Oswego$3,070/mo
Typical home $423K (Zillow) · tax rate 2.42% · or rent about $1,860/mo · Housing →
Bartlett$3,220/mo
Typical home $443K (Zillow) · tax rate 2.43% · or rent about $1,883/mo · Housing →

The difference: $150 a month, about $1,900 a year, between Bartlett and Oswego.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Illinois ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety
A−OswegoSafer than 84% of U.S. towns ABartlettSafer than 92% of U.S. towns
Health
A−OswegoHealthier than 85% of U.S. towns ABartlettHealthier than 94% of U.S. towns
10Oswego
10Bartlett

Lists won, of 21 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Highest graduation rateSchools · 669 towns #18#497 Lowest obesityHealth · 861 towns #576#41 Fastest growingGrowth · 859 towns #41#394 Most new homesHousing · 431 towns #8#144 Lowest depressionHealth · 861 towns #213#42 Most conserved landOutdoors · 838 towns #201#47 HealthiestHealth · 861 towns #198#76 SafestSafety · 321 towns #71#30

Left end = #1 in Illinois. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Oswego’s rankings →

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
OswegoBartlett
Snow a year28″46″
January low16°F—
July high84°F—
Growing season (days)185d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)38th29th
Outdoors & history
OswegoBartlett
Trails9 mi7 mi
Conserved land7.8%17.2%
Settled18331891
National Register places1—
Archive photos1824
Famous people born here76
Community
OswegoBartlett
Library hours a week67 hrs68 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

21 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

OswegoBartlettOswegoBartlett
Oswego ↔ Bartlett21 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

OswegoBartlett
People
Population 36,375Lowest 40,501Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +13.9%Highest -0.2%Lowest
Median age 38.7±1.3Lowest about the IL average 41±0.8Highest 5% above IL
Kids under 18 26.3%±2.5Highest IL: 21.8% 23.2%±2Lowest IL: 21.8%
Oswego and Bartlett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 11%±1.3Lowest IL: 17% 15.9%±1.4Highest IL: 17%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 44.3%Lowest IL: 37.8% 49.5%Highest IL: 37.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.4%±1.1Highest IL: 6.3% 4.7%±0.7Lowest IL: 6.3%
Oswego and Bartlett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $123,792±$6kLowest 48% above IL $133,240±$6kHighest 60% above IL
Bartlett and Oswego are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $344,500±$8kLowest 31% above IL $375,700±$10kHighest 43% above IL
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,860±$184Lowest 46% above IL $1,883±$226Highest 48% above IL
Bartlett and Oswego are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $8,330Lowest 57% above IL $9,136Highest 72% above IL
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 71.8%±14Highest IL: 47.9% 50.9%±12.7Lowest IL: 47.9%
Oswego and Bartlett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 2.6%Lowest IL: 11.8% 4.2%Highest IL: 11.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 87.9%Lowest IL: 67.1% 89.2%Highest IL: 67.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 2002Highest 31 yrs newer than IL 1992Lowest 21 yrs newer than IL
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 32 minHighest 13% above IL 30 minLowest 7% above IL
Work from home 17.5%±2.9Lowest IL: 15.9% 20.5%±2.8Highest IL: 15.9%
Bartlett and Oswego are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 7.8%Highest 4.8%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 18.8 miHighest 12.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.55Highest 0.40Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Chicago (15%)Chicago (15%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in BartlettFew work in Oswego
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 7.8%Lowest 17.2%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 8.6 miHighest 7.0 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.5 miHighest 0.4 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 40Highest 32Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 72.8Highest 72.1Lowest
Illinois average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Oswego neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Oswego’s Town Square.

Bartlett neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Bartlett’s Town Square.

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Bordering Oswego

B
+ Compare
Boulder Hill8,989 people · $239K homes
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Montgomery21,515 people · $300K homes
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Aurora179,898 people · $275K homes
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Yorkville23,617 people · $335K homes

Towns like Oswego

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Algonquin30,067 people · $351K homes
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Lockport26,409 people · $316K homes
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Lake Villa Township39,760 people · $289K homes
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New Lenox Township44,199 people · $388K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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