Oswego receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Oswego
Fulton
Opportunity
48 · Bottom 33%
vs44 · Bottom 24%
Growth
32 · Bottom 20%
vs22 · Bottom 9%
Climate
60 · Bottom 14%
vs60 · Bottom 14%
Physical resilience
84 · Top 18%
vs85 · Top 17%
Housing affordability
84 · Top 45%
vs94 · Top 21%
Schools
36 · Bottom 30%
vs23 · Bottom 14%
Access
85 · Bottom 29%
vs91 · Bottom 47%
Economic stability
36 · Bottom 13%
vs32 · Bottom 9%
Measured values
| Metric | Oswego | Fulton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,033 | 11,272 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $53,172 | $52,046 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,279 | $30,164 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,237/sq mi | 2,873/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $120,600 | $101,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,109 | $887 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 50.2% | 54.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.2% | -1.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.1% | 16.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.6% | 23.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 8 | 0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.5 | 0.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 80°F | 80°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 39.6" | 39.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 31 mi | 21 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.6 min | 23.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.7 | 34.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.66 | 11.42 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 28.1% | 15.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 45.6% | 30.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 42.3% | 54.8% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Full profiles: Oswego, NY · Fulton, NY · How this is calculated: methodology