New York

Oswego

117,525
2020 population
1820
first census record
21
census records

About Oswego

Oswego, New York, first appears in the United States federal census in 1820, when it recorded a population of 12,374. At the most recent census, in 2020, its population stood at 117,525.

Its recorded population peaked at 122,377 in 2000, and has since declined by roughly 4 percent.

On the ground today, 17 documented military engagements have been recorded within the county, among them Siege of Oswego (Fort Ontario/Oswego, 1756), Battle of Fort Oswego (1756), Battle of Fort Oswego 1756, and 93 places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Population by decade

Census YearPopulationChart
2020117,525
2010122,109
2000122,377
1990121,771
1980113,901
1970100,897
196086,118
195077,181
194071,275
193069,645
192071,045
191071,664
190070,881
189071,883
188077,911
187077,941
186075,958
185062,198
184043,619
183027,119
182012,374
Source

Population data from the United States decennial census, U.S. Census Bureau (public domain).

Battles & engagements in Oswego

Military engagements that took place in Oswego, New York.

Siege of Oswego (Fort Ontario/Oswego, 1756)
1756
Battle of Fort Oswego (1756)
1756
Battle of Fort Oswego 1756
1756
Oswego Fort Area Conflict 1756
1756
Siege of Fort Bull (1756)
1756
Siege of Fort Oswego
1756
Battle of Fort Bull (1756)
1756
Battle of Fort Oswego
1756
Battle of Fort William Augustus (Lake Ontario, 1760)
1760
Pontiac's Peace Council at Fort Ontario 1766
1766
Battle of Oswego
1814
Raid on Oswego
1814
Battle of Sandy Creek
1814
Battle of Oswego — Sandy Creek Follow-up Operations
1814
Battle of Sandy Creek — Lake Ontario Supply Ambush (May 30 1814)
1814
Battle of Oswego (May 1814)
1814
Engagement at Oswego — Lake Ontario Raid (May 1814)
1814

Historic places in Oswego

National Register of Historic Places listings in Oswego, New York.

Selkirk Lighthouse
Pulaski
Ames, Orson, House
Mexico
Pratt, John Wells, House
Fulton
Market House
Oswego
Fulton Public library
Fulton
Oswego Theater
Oswego
Pontiac Hotel
Oswego
Fort Brewerton
Brewerton
Richardson-Bates House
Oswego
Mexico Academy and Central School
Mexico
Mount Adnah Cemetery
Fulton
Walton and Willett Stone Store
Oswego
Oswego City Library
Oswego
Kingsford Historic District
Oswego
Wing, Asa and Caroline, House
Mexico
CHANCELLOR (tugboat)
Fulton
Fort Ontario
Oswego
Oak Street School
Fulton
Riverside Cemetery
Oswego
Oswego West Pierhead Lighthouse
Oswego
Hunter-Oliphant Block
Oswego
Littlefield, Hamilton and Rhoda, House
Oswego
Clark, Starr, Tin Shop
Mexico
State Street Methodist Episcopal Church
Fulton
Browse all New Yorkhistoric sites ›

Other counties in New York

Explore census history and historic records for more New York counties.

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Everything a full report reveals about Oswego County, New York

This page charts the census history of Oswego County, New York. A full Aubrey report for an address here pulls together everything the historical record holds about the ground, from the earliest settlement to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Frequently asked about Oswego

When does Oswego first appear in the US census?
Oswego, New York first appears in the federal census in 1820, with a recorded population of 12,374.
What is the population of Oswego?
At the most recent federal census (2020), Oswego had a recorded population of 117,525.
When did Oswego's population peak?
Oswego's recorded population peaked at 122,377 in 2000.
Were any battles fought in Oswego?
17 documented military engagements took place in Oswego, including Siege of Oswego (Fort Ontario/Oswego, 1756), Battle of Fort Oswego (1756), Battle of Fort Oswego 1756.
How many historic places are in Oswego?
93 sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Oswego, New York.
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