Compare towns
Oswego vs Scriba 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 youngest population (median age 35.7).
Scriba has the highest household income ($92k).
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 | Scriba | Johnson City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,033Highest |
6,603Lowest |
14,940 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.7%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-3.3% NY: +4.2% |
+1.1%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.6Lowest 10% below NY |
46.3±3.1Highest 16% above NY |
40.7±3.4 about the NY average |
| Scriba and Johnson City 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% |
19.7%±3.6 NY: 20.5% |
18.1%±2.6Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Oswego and Scriba are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±2.1 NY: 17.9% |
18%±4.3Lowest 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% NY: 40.2% |
25.5%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
29.6%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.1%±2Highest NY: 7% |
1.2%±0.8Lowest NY: 7% |
9%±2.2 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 |
$92,036±$17kHighest 7% above NY |
$56,283±$4k 35% below NY |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $120,600±$7k 72% below NY |
$158,700±$10kHighest 63% below NY |
$117,100±$4kLowest 72% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$72Highest 32% below NY |
$980±$67Lowest 40% below NY |
$1,031±$66 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 |
$3,649 45% below NY |
$3,982Highest 40% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.4%±7.4Highest NY: 52.1% |
43.7%±13.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
57.8%±10.9 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% |
10.3%Lowest NY: 14% |
19.6% NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.2%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
81.5%Highest NY: 54.3% |
52.3% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1985Highest 26 yrs newer than NY |
1949 10 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 43% below NY |
21 minHighest 34% below NY |
17 minLowest 49% below NY |
| Work from home | 8.6%±2.9 NY: 14.9% |
6.6%±2.4Lowest 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 | 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.