Compare towns
Oswego vs Johnson City
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Oswego has the most kids (21.9% under 18).
Johnson City has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
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.
| Measure | Oswego | Johnson City |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 17,033Highest |
14,940Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.7%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+1.1%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.6Lowest 10% below NY |
40.7±3.4Highest about the NY average |
| Johnson City and Oswego are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 21.9%±2.6Highest NY: 20.5% |
18.1%±2.6Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Oswego and Johnson City are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±2.1Lowest NY: 17.9% |
22.4%±2.6Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Johnson City and Oswego are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.1%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
29.6%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.1%±2Highest NY: 7% |
9%±2.2Lowest NY: 7% |
| Oswego and Johnson City are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $53,172±$4kLowest 38% below NY |
$56,283±$4kHighest 35% below NY |
| Johnson City and Oswego are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $120,600±$7kHighest 72% below NY |
$117,100±$4kLowest 72% below NY |
| Oswego and Johnson City are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$72Highest 32% below NY |
$1,031±$66Lowest 36% below NY |
| Oswego and Johnson City are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,362Lowest 49% below NY |
$3,982Highest 40% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.4%±7.4Highest NY: 52.1% |
57.8%±10.9Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Oswego and Johnson City are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 20.6%Highest NY: 14% |
19.6%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.2%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
52.3%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1949Highest 10 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minHighest 43% below NY |
17 minLowest 49% below NY |
| Work from home | 8.6%±2.9Lowest NY: 14.9% |
9.7%±3.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Johnson City 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 | #285 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | OSWEGO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | OSWEGO HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
— |
| 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.