The Town FilesOswego, Kansas
City in Labette County · population 1,668 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $82,700
- Household income
- $53,750
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 4 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 24
- Median age
- 36.2
Oswego is a city of 1,668 people in Labette County, Kansas. The median home is worth $82,700, below the typical Kansas town ($128,200). It ranks better transit than 94% of Kansas towns, better for retirees than 84% of Kansas towns, better for first-time buyers than 72% of Kansas towns.
How Oswego ranks
Percentile among Kansas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Kansas towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Oswego is worth $82,700, below the typical Kansas town ($128,200). Homes cost about 1.5 times the median household income of $53,750, which is more affordable than 86% of Kansas towns. Median rent is $819 a month. 65.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Oswego | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $82,700 | $128,200 |
| Median rent | $819 | $815 |
| Median household income | $53,750 | $63,857 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.5× | 2.1× |
| Homeownership | 65.0% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1957 | 1964 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.2% | — |
Who lives in Oswego
| People | Oswego | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.2 | 38.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.4% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 25.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.9% | 24.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 22.8% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 4.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.9% | — |
| Work from home | 3.9% | 6.4% |
| Average commute | 21.0 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.4% | 89.2% |
Weather in Oswego
July highs average 89.6°F and January lows 23.3°F. About 46.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 4.1 inches of snow (typical Kansas town: 12.4 in). Expect about 46 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 95 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Oswego since 1950, compared with 26 for the typical Kansas town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on September 27, 1959 about 3.4 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 8 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 26, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 77 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on April 19, 2003.
Severe weather in Labette County since 1996
Labette County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 29, 2020 | Biological | DR-4504: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3481: Covid-19 |
| March 9, 2010 | Severe Storm | DR-1885: Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm |
| June 25, 2009 | Severe Storm | DR-1849: Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| February 1, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1741: Severe Winter Storms |
Jobs and pay in Labette County
Labette County had 8,525 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,757 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Oswego itself the ACS puts it at 9.9%.
Public schools in Oswego
2 public schools with 376 students, about 11.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oswego Junior-Senior High School | 6-12 | 192 | 9.6 |
| Oswego Neosho Hgts Elem | PK-5 | 184 | 13.1 |
Towns near Oswego
- Chetopa, KS9.1 mi · 929 people · home $71,900
- Altamont, KS10.0 mi · 1,061 people · home $107,400
- Parsons, KS14.2 mi · 9,600 people · home $71,700
- Columbus, KS14.8 mi · 2,929 people · home $94,100
- Cherokee, KS20.0 mi · 590 people · home $85,300
- Welch, OK20.3 mi · 622 people · home $113,300
- Weir, KS21.0 mi · 569 people · home $78,300
- Commerce, OK21.2 mi · 2,271 people · home $72,600
Oswego questions
Is Oswego, Kansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Oswego scores better for retirees than 84% of Kansas towns and quieter than 52%. 17.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.2).
How much does a house cost in Oswego?
The median owner-occupied home in Oswego is valued at $82,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $53,750, so homes cost about 1.5 times income. Median rent is $819 a month.
What is the weather like in Oswego?
July highs average 89.6°F and January lows 23.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.0 inches of precipitation a year and 4.1 inches of snow.
Does Oswego get tornadoes?
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Oswego since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on September 27, 1959. The typical Kansas town has had 26.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)