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Living in
Oswego.
About
Life in Oswego
Oswego is a solid choice if you want family-oriented suburban living without being directly in Chicago's urban core. You're looking at a community that's affluent on paper—median household income around $120,000, median home values around $319,000—with strong schools through Oswego Community Unit School District 308 and low poverty rates. The restored downtown has genuine character with local shops and restaurants, and the park system is genuinely extensive with 63 parks, 16 miles of trails, and waterfront access along the Fox River.
Oswego at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
38.7 yrs
Poverty Rate
2.6%
Foreign-Born
14.3%
Broadband Internet
97.2%
of households
Population Growth
+15.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics14.3% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Oswego: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Oswego, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (35.7%), and 14.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
26.3%
of residents
65 and Older
11.0%
of residents
Households with Kids
42.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
16.8%
of households
Married Couples
62.0%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.96
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 46% above IL average
Rent, home values, and income in Oswego
In Oswego, rent runs 46% above the IL average, and home values are 31% above the IL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
68.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
15.3%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
103.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$8,330
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
87.9%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2002
median year built
Vacant Homes
1.6%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $420,873 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.6 pts below IL average
Unemployment in Oswego and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Oswego is 0.6 percentage points lower than the IL average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Oswego Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI metro area
Commute31.5 min avg
How Oswego residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Oswego, most residents drive alone to work (73%), and 52% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 31 mi
Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)
Major hub40.7M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 79% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Oswego runs 79% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
70.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
431.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Oswego Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 22 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
80.2 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Kendall County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Kendall County, which includes Oswego, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 22 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 22 | Winter Weather | $556,000 |
| 2024 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2023 | 18 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2022 | 19 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2021 | 10 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2020 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 18 | Winter Weather | $20,000 |
| 2018 | 5 | Extreme Cold/Wind Chill | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Kendall County, county-wide
Air Quality42 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in DuPage County, IL (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 17 miles from Oswego) is typically good — 233 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
42
Good Days
233
per year
Moderate Days
126
per year
Unhealthy Days
1
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: DuPage County, IL (17 mi away)
Climate82°F summers, 19°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Oswego has warm summers (avg high 82°F) and very cold winters (avg low 19°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
59°/39°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
82°/63°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
62°/43°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
34°/19°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
39.5"
Annual Snowfall
27.9"
Hot Days/Year
16
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
134
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
116
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°F | 16°F | 1.86" |
| Feb | 35°F | 20°F | 1.83" |
| Mar | 47°F | 29°F | 2.35" |
| Apr | 60°F | 39°F | 4.05" |
| May | 71°F | 50°F | 4.86" |
| Jun | 81°F | 60°F | 4.50" |
| Jul | 84°F | 65°F | 4.19" |
| Aug | 82°F | 63°F | 3.86" |
| Sep | 76°F | 55°F | 3.37" |
| Oct | 63°F | 43°F | 3.70" |
| Nov | 48°F | 32°F | 2.71" |
| Dec | 36°F | 22°F | 2.19" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Oswego
Uninsured
3.0%
of residents
No hospitals inside Oswego's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Copley Memorial Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.7 mi away · Aurora
Presence Mercy Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.1 mi away · Aurora
Linden Oaks at Edward
Psychiatric · 10.7 mi away · Naperville
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education16.3:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Oswego
Oswego's student/teacher ratio is 16.3:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 44.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
14
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
44.3%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.3:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Oswego (within 15 miles)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 4,015 students · in-state tuition $40,700 · 64% graduate · median earnings $59,389 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 3,974 students · in-state tuition $29,970 · 67% graduate · median earnings $64,180 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,428 students · in-state tuition $47,340 · 72% graduate · median earnings $65,646 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,942 students · in-state tuition $37,650 · 60% graduate · median earnings $67,314 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Pullman National Historical Park, 38 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Oswego
Oswego has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Pullman National Historical Park (38 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
38 mi awayIndiana Dunes National Park
National Park
64 mi awayPublic Libraries in Oswego
Oswego Public Library District
32 West Jefferson Street, Oswego
Cities Near Oswego
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Oswego?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Oswego FAQ
Is Oswego, Illinois affordable?⌄
Oswego's median rent is $1,860/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $123,792/year. Median home value is $344,500.
Is Oswego, Illinois safe?⌄
Oswego's violent crime rate was 70 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 432 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Oswego, Illinois?⌄
Oswego has an unemployment rate of 4.0%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Oswego, Illinois?⌄
The cost of living in Oswego is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,860/month and median household income is $123,792/year. The median home value is $344,500. About 69% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Oswego, Illinois?⌄
The average commute in Oswego is 32 minutes, which is longer than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from