What stands out worked out from the figures below

Oswego has the shortest commute (19 min average).

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

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	Oswego	Lockport
People
Population	17,033Lowest	20,610Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-6.7%Lowest NY: +4.2%	-1.4%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	35.7±1.6Lowest 10% below NY	36.8±2Highest 8% 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	21.9%±2.6Highest NY: 20.5%	21.5%±2.4Lowest 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+	18.3%±2.1Highest NY: 17.9%	16.3%±1.9Lowest 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+	26.1%Highest NY: 40.2%	24.6%Lowest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10.1%±2Highest NY: 7%	5.6%±1.5Lowest NY: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$53,172±$4kLowest 38% below NY	$62,410±$7kHighest 27% 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	$120,600±$7kLowest 72% below NY	$139,900±$11kHighest 67% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,109±$72Highest 32% below NY	$945±$43Lowest 42% below NY
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,362Lowest 49% below NY	$4,022Highest 39% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	60.4%±7.4Highest NY: 52.1%	40.3%±7.1Lowest NY: 52.1%
Below poverty line	20.6%Highest NY: 14%	15.2%Lowest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	50.2%Lowest NY: 54.3%	58.8%Highest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY	1941Highest 18 yrs older than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	19 minLowest 43% below NY	24 minHighest 28% below NY
Work from home	8.6%±2.9Lowest NY: 14.9%	9%±2.3Highest 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	#285 of 484 in NY	#289 of 484 in NY
School district	OSWEGO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT	LOCKPORT CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	OSWEGO HIGH SCHOOL	LOCKPORT HIGH SCHOOL
Students per teacherat that high school	12.5Highest	11.7Lowest
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.