Compare towns
Oswego vs Ripton vs Scriba vs Amsterdam
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Oswego has the most affordable homes ($121k median).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Amsterdam has the most kids (23% under 18).
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 | Ripton | Scriba | Amsterdam |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,033 |
508Lowest |
6,603 |
18,166Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.6Lowest 8% below U.S. |
47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
46.3±3.1 19% above U.S. |
39.5±1.2 about the U.S. average |
| Ripton and Scriba are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.9%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.7%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
23%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Amsterdam and Oswego are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
48%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.1%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $53,172±$4kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$92,036±$17k 14% above U.S. |
$56,178±$8k 30% below U.S. |
| Ripton and Scriba are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $120,600±$7kLowest 64% below U.S. |
$394,400±$61kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$158,700±$10k 52% below U.S. |
$137,900±$11k 59% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$72Highest 22% below U.S. |
— | $980±$67Lowest 31% below U.S. |
$1,006±$45 29% below U.S. |
| Oswego and Amsterdam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,362Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$4,915Highest 58% above U.S. |
$3,649 17% above U.S. |
$4,369 40% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.4%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±13.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.4%±6.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Oswego and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 20.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
20.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
53% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 9% below U.S. |
21 min 19% below U.S. |
21 min 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.6%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±3.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ripton and Amsterdam 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 | — | — | #474 of 484 in NY |
| School district | OSWEGO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | AMSTERDAM CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | OSWEGO HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.