Oswego, NY: Local News, Events & Neighbors

Oswego ( oss-WEE-goh, Onondaga: Deyoʼswé·geʼ ) is a city in and the county seat of Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 16,921 at the 2020 census. Oswego is situated at the mouth of the Oswego River on the southeastern shore of Lake Ontario in Upstate New York, about 40 miles (64 km) northwest of Syracuse and 74 miles (119 km) east-northeast of Rochester by road. The city promotes itself as "The Port City of Central New York". The first European settlement at Oswego was a British trading post established in 1722, and it was first incorporated as a village in 1828 before becoming a city in 1848. British forces briefly captured the city during the War of 1812, but were d…

Official town website ↗

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

How Oswego ranks

All →

#60Most affordable in NY #81Shortest commute in NY #138Lowest property tax in NY All NY rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code13126

Area code315

Living in Oswego

Housing in Oswego

$135K Median sale price · Redfin, May 2026

The median sale price was $135,000 in May 2026.

A seller's market

Buyer’sBalancedSeller’s

Days on market83

Sale-to-list95.9%

Sold in May12

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Oswego

C⁻

Safety Grade C-

Oswego reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 85% report less.

Violent crime per 1,000

Oswego 2.6

New York 3.7

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

Oswego 20.8

New York 15.7

U.S. 15.5

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Health in Oswego

C⁺

Health Grade C+

Healthier than 41% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates, and 75% of towns with similar incomes.

Compared with New York

12worse than NY

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 20 are too close to call.

Conditions 7▼ 5 close Habits 1▼ 3 close Care 2▼ 5 close Mind 2▼ 3 close Everyday needs all close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

8.4%More adults with COPDNY 6% · worse 15.3%More smokersNY 11.3% · worse 17.2%More older adults who have lost all their teethNY 12.8% · worse

Care nearby

Oswego HospitalOswego · 0.7 mi · ER

Oswego Health CenterOswego · 0.2 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careShortage · county-wide

DentalShortage · county-wide

Mental healthShortage · county-wide

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Oswego · CMS · HRSAHealth in Oswego →

Schools in Oswego

All Oswego schools →

C⁻

School Grade C-

The public schools Oswego’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 83% of New York’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the bottom.

See how Oswego’s schools compare in NY →

DistrictOSWEGO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICTSchools7

Kingsford Park Elementary School CElementary · Grades PK–6 · 397 students Charles E Riley Elementary School C-Elementary · Grades K–6 · 390 students Fitzhugh Park Elementary School C-Elementary · Grades PK–6 · 319 students Leighton Elementary School C-Elementary · Grades PK–6 · 294 students Trinity Catholic SchoolElementary · Grades PK–6 · 127 students Oswego Middle School C-Middle · Grades 7–8 · 572 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within NY. Ratings are from neighbors.

Famous people from OswegoWriters, athletes, leaders and more who were born in Oswego.Meet them →