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Oswego, Illinois
Downtown Oswego
Downtown Oswego
Location of Oswego in Kendall and Will Counties, Illinois
Location of Oswego in Kendall and Will Counties, Illinois
Location of Illinois in the United States
Location of Illinois in the United States
Country United States
State Illinois
Counties Kendall, Will
Townships Oswego, Bristol, Wheatland
Settled 1833
Incorporated 1852
Area
 • Total 15.03 sq mi (38.93 km2)
 • Land 14.89 sq mi (38.56 km2)
 • Water 0.14 sq mi (0.38 km2)
Elevation
577 ft (176 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 34,585
 • Density 2,323.01/sq mi (896.93/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP code
60543
Area codes 630/331
FIPS code 17-56887

Oswego is a village in Kendall and Will Counties, Illinois, United States. The village population as of the 2020 census was 34,585, a 14% increase from 30,355 at the 2010 census, and more than double its population of 13,326 in 2000. Oswego is the largest municipality in Kendall County.

History

In 1833, William Smith Wilson, his wife Rebecca, and his brother-in-law Daniel Pearce moved to the area now known as Oswego. The land was officially owned by the local Potowatomi, Ottawa, and Chippewa tribes, but the United States government removed the Native Americans when the government started surveying the land along the Fox River in Kendall County. In 1842, the federal government placed the land for sale at an established price of $1.25 an acre.

After the sale of the land, Lewis Brinsmaid Judson and Levi F. Arnold from New York laid out the village and named it Hudson. However, when a post office was established, its location was given as Lodi. Confusion over the official name of the area led to a decision in January 1837, when the citizens gathered and voted Oswego as the permanent name of the village by a single vote. The ford across the Fox River in the town allowed Oswego to grow economically and as a town, eventually incorporated in 1852 with its village boundaries at the time being Harrison Street to the northwest, Jefferson Street to the northeast, Monroe Street to the southeast, and Benton Street to the southwest. At the advent of the automobile, Oswego continued to see growth as it became a hub for three different state highways (Illinois Route 25, Illinois Route 71, and Illinois Route 31).

Major community developments began when Caterpillar, Inc. and Western Electric decided to build industrial plants near Oswego in the mid-1950s. This initially allowed nearby Boulder Hill to develop. The next major development arrived in the mid-1980s during the suburban homebuilding boom, which allowed houses and buildings to populate the village. The rapid growth of the village allowed its limits to expand west of the Fox River into today's boundaries.

Geography

Oswego is located on the Fox River.

According to the 2010 census, the village has a total area of 15.63 square miles (40.5 km2), of which 15.53 square miles (40.2 km2) (or 99.36%) is land and 0.11 square miles (0.28 km2) (or 0.70%) is water.

Downtown

Downtown Oswego is home to historic buildings and homes, as well as shops and restaurants. The village of Oswego launched a project to enhance and restore the historic downtown district. This project included significant infrastructure and streets-cape improvements, such as the installation of brick paves, sidewalks, landscaping, and decorative streetlights and benches. Hudson Crossing Park, located along the Fox River, opened in October 2004 where many children and families enjoy the scenery. The Waubonsee Creek Promenade, which stretches from Main Street to the new park, is the final phase of the downtown enhancements. In 2008, the village celebrated its 175th anniversary. Several festivals are hosted in Oswego, including the annual Drag Strip Days, PrairieFest, Wine on the Fox, the Christmas Walk, and the Memorial Day Parade. The village also hosts the Oswego Country Market every Sunday from May through October.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1880 663
1890 641 −3.3%
1900 618 −3.6%
1910 600 −2.9%
1920 676 12.7%
1930 932 37.9%
1940 978 4.9%
1950 1,220 24.7%
1960 1,510 23.8%
1970 1,862 23.3%
1980 3,021 62.2%
1990 3,876 28.3%
2000 13,326 243.8%
2010 30,355 127.8%
2020 34,585 13.9%
U.S. Decennial Census

As of the census of 2019, there were 36,252 people, 11,215 families living in the village. The population density was 2,025/mi2 (782/km2). There were 10,388 housing units at an urban density of 668.9/mi2 (258.3/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 82.0% White, 5.6% African American, 0.24% Native American, 4.79% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 3.24% from other races, and 2.24% from two or more races. 17.1% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 9,935 households, out of which 50.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.2% were married couples living together, 10.58% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.2% were non-families. The average household size was 3.08 and the average family size was 3.43.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 34.7% under the age of 20, 17.0% from 20 to 34, 33.2% from 35 to 54, 8.3% from 55 to 64, and 6.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33.9 years.

As of the 2019 census, the median income for a household in the village was $117,624, and the median income for a family was $102,110. Males had a median income of $75,849 versus $56,164 for females. The per capita income for the village was $37,839. 1.49% of the population and 1% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 1.49% of those under the age of 18 and 1.56% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Awards and recognition

Oswego was ranked #58 in 2011 on CNN/Money Magazine’s Top 100 Best Towns to live. CNN Money ranks these towns based on their job opportunities, schools, safety, economic strength, and other qualities. Kendall County has continuously been ranked as one of the fastest-growing counties and a place of rapid job growth.

Education

The Oswego Community Unit School District 308 serves Oswego, Boulder Hill, Montgomery, Plainfield, Aurora, Yorkville and Joliet. It operates 22 schools, including one early learning center, 14 elementary schools for grades K-5, 5 junior high schools for grades 6-8, 2 high schools, and one opportunity school. Portions of Oswego are within Yorkville Community Unit School District 115, which operates Yorkville High School.

Notable people

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Oswego (Illinois) para niños

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