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City · 17,033 residents · Oswego County, New York

Oswego , New York

In Oswego, a typical home is worth $120,600 and typical rent is $1,109 a month. Compared with all of Oswego County, typical household income is 23% lower, the typical home value is 21% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 23 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $120,600

    21% below the county

    72% below New York

    • Oswego
    • County
    • New York

  • Typical rent

    $1,109a month

    15% above the county

    32% below New York

    • Oswego
    • County
    • New York

  • Typical household income

    $53,172a year

    23% below the county

    38% below New York

    • Oswego
    • County
    • New York

  • Households that own their home

    50%

    23 points below the county

    4 points below New York

    • Oswego
    • County
    • New York

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical rent
$1,291 a month
17.8% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Oswego is in Oswego County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Oswego County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Oswego apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. 50% of households in Oswego own their home, against 73% in Oswego County.

  2. Oswego has the 19th lowest typical home value of the 348 cities in New York with more than 5,000 people ($120,600).

  3. Nearby, in Fulton, the typical rent is $887: 20% less than in Oswego ($1,109).

  4. The typical household income in Oswego is $53,172, 23% less than in Oswego County as a whole ($69,183).

  5. Nearby, in Fulton, the typical home value is $101,000: 16% less than in Oswego ($120,600).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Oswego

What homes there are in Oswego, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

Detached houses are the majority in Oswego (62%), but less so than in Oswego County (68%).

Year built

Old homes abound here: at least half date from before 1940, and 70% were built before 1960.

There are fewer big homes in Oswego than in Oswego County: 56% have 3 bedrooms or more, against 64%.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes

At least 99% of owner-occupied homes in Oswego are worth less than $500,000, below the FHA loan limit for Oswego County ($541,287).

Monthly rent with utilities

HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent (FMR) for Oswego County is $1,493; about 79% of rents in Oswego are below it.

With a mortgage

$1,383 a month

Oswego County: $1,498 a month

Without a mortgage

$631 a month

Oswego County: $654 a month

Owners with a mortgage

58%

Oswego County: 56%

In Oswego, 58% of owners have a mortgage, and their typical cost is $1,383 a month, against $1,498 in Oswego County. Without one it drops to $631.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

Homes in Oswego gained value more slowly than in Oswego County: 38% since 2015–2019, against 45%.

Since 2015–2019, the typical rent in Oswego rose 43%, more than in Oswego County (25%).

Housing prices ran ahead of income in Oswego: typical income rose 23%, against +38% for home values and +43% for rent.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureOswegoOswego CountyNew YorkUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate4.8%3.8%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate1.0%1.1%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate1.7%5.3%3.4%
People per household 2.252.392.492.53
Drive alone 73%78%49%69%
Carpool 10%8%6%9%
Public transit 2%1%22%3%
Walk or bike 6%3%6%3%
Work from home 9%8%15%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate2%2%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

Fewer people live in each home here: 2.25 on average, against 2.39 in Oswego County.

The car rules in Oswego: 73% of workers drive to work alone, and the typical trip takes 10 to 19 minutes.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Oswego?

A typical home is within reach of the typical income

We start with a typical home in Oswego, worth $120,600, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 27% of the typical household income in Oswego, which is $53,172 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Oswego County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Oswego. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $4,221 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$1,186

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$118,416
Total interest
$170,372
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $2,037 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,241 a month

    Your payment · 27%

  • Tight

    $1,241 to $1,595 a month

  • Hard

    more than $1,595 a month

Compared with the typical household income in Oswego ($53,172 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$1,186
Principal & interest$802
Property tax$280
Home insurance$50
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$53

You need at least $4,221 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Oswego and Oswego County

Oswego is in Oswego County, New York. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Oswego's own numbers

Typical home value
$120,600
Typical monthly rent
$1,109
Typical yearly household income
$53,172
Households that own their home
50%
Effective property tax rate
2.79%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Oswego County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,493
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+64%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
2.1%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Oswego County.

Everything about Oswego County

Buying

Buying a home in Oswego

A typical home in Oswego is worth $120,600: 21% below the county and 72% below New York. With the typical household income in Oswego ($53,172 a year), a typical home costs 2.3 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Oswego 2.3 years
  • County 2.2 years
  • New York 4.9 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Oswego County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Oswego County rose 95% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Oswego County.

Period County New York U.S.
Last year (2025) +5.5% +6.0% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +64% +52% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +95% +86% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Oswego next to Oswego County, New York and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Oswego $120,600
  • County $151,700
  • New York $423,800
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Oswego $1,109
  • County $967
  • New York $1,621
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Oswego $53,172
  • County $69,183
  • New York $85,974
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Oswego next to Oswego County and New York
Measure Oswego Oswego County New York U.S.
Typical home value $120,600 $151,700 $423,800 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,109 $967 $1,621 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $53,172 $69,183 $85,974 $80,734
Households that own their home 50% 73% 54% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $3,362 $3,646 $6,582 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 2.79% 2.4% 1.55% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 60% 51% 52% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Oswego County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Oswego

For a typical $120,600 home in Oswego, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Oswego's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $1,186a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $4,221
    Cash to close
    $7,839
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $53

  • Conventional, 5% down $1,164a month

    Down payment
    $6,030
    Cash to close
    $9,648
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $57

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $984a month

    Down payment
    $24,120
    Cash to close
    $27,738
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $1,096a month

    Down payment
    $18,090
    Cash to close
    $21,708
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Oswego and for Oswego County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Oswego

2.79%of the home’s value each year

$3,362 a year for the typical owner in Oswego.

  • Oswego 2.79%
  • County 2.4%
  • New York 1.55%

What New York publishes Basic STAR school tax relief (New York State Department of Taxation and Finance)

Exemptions and deadlines in New York

Flood risk in Oswego County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Oswego County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
2.1%
1,055
Of those, with NFIP insurance
19%
County New York U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 2.1% 2% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 19% 76% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Oswego

Typical rent in Oswego is $1,109 a month: 15% above the county. In Oswego, 60% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Oswego County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,493 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $28.71 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Oswego County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $1,050 $20.19 $42,000
1 bedroom $1,196 $23.00 $47,840
2 bedrooms $1,493 $28.71 $59,720
3 bedrooms $1,808 $34.77 $72,320
4 bedrooms $1,962 $37.73 $78,480

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Oswego

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Oswego is in ZIP code 13126.

For 2 bedrooms it is $1,440: $53 less than the fair market rent for Oswego County ($1,493).

  • 13126 $1,440$1,740

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Oswego when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Oswego

HUD lists 6 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Oswego. These are the largest.

  • ST. Lukes Elderly Housing 131 W 1st St, Oswego 13126 101 homes, 100 low-income · For older adults (315) 343-0821
  • Pontiac Terrace Apts 225 W 1st St, Oswego 13126 70 low-income homes · For older adults (315) 342-1101
  • Oswego Hamilton Homes Phase II 91 Hamilton St, Oswego 13126 58 low-income homes · 1 bd: 21 · 2 bd: 11 · 3 bd: 17 · 4 bd: 9 · In service since 2010 · For people with disabilities, families
  • Oswego Hamilton Homes Phase III 96 Hamilton St, Oswego 13126 57 low-income homes · 1 bd: 11 · 2 bd: 17 · 3 bd: 10 · 4 bd: 19 · In service since 2011
  • Oswego Hamilton Homes Phase I 92 Hamilton St, Oswego 13126 54 low-income homes · 1 bd: 5 · 2 bd: 28 · 3 bd: 21 · In service since 2009 · For people with disabilities, families

See all 18 buildings in Oswego County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Oswego

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

There is 1 HUD-approved agency with an office in Oswego County; none says it serves in Spanish.

A grandmother pushes her grandson on a playground swing.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Oswego

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Oswego or Oswego County. The ones below are statewide in New York: they work in Oswego the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in New York

Housing counselors near Oswego

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Oswego, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • City of Fulton Community Development Agency

    125 W Broadway, Fulton · 11 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 4 more
    (315) 593-7166

  • Home Headquarters, Inc.

    625 Erie Blvd W, Syracuse · 33 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 8 more
    (315) 474-1939

  • Syracuse Cooperative Federal Credit Union

    1816 Erie Blvd E, Syracuse · 34 miles away · Spanish

    Also serves in Swahili.

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 3 more
    (315) 476-5290

Every agency in Oswego County All counseling agencies in New York

Help in Spanish near Oswego

2 of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Oswego

HUD’s record names them for Oswego or Oswego County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • City of Oswego, Office of Community Dev. Section 8 vouchers (315) 908-7465

One other authority has an office in Oswego County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Oswego County

These cities are also in Oswego County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Oswego County Housing in New York

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Oswego, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Oswego County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Oswego.

All guides
A mother and her daughters smile together on a mountain trail with a snowy peak behind them.

Questions

Housing questions about Oswego

Short answers with the numbers for Oswego and all of Oswego County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Oswego?

The typical home value in Oswego is $120,600, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Oswego County it is $151,700.

How much does it cost to rent in Oswego?

Typical rent in Oswego is $1,109 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Oswego County is $1,493.

What is the FHA loan limit in Oswego?

Oswego uses the FHA limit for all of Oswego County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Oswego?

The typical homeowner in Oswego pays $3,362 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 2.79% of the home’s value; in Oswego County, the rate is 2.4%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Oswego?

There is 1 HUD-approved counseling agency with an office in Oswego County. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).