Skip to content
SUNY Oswego, New York eviction risk overview
City brief · 3,564 residents

SUNY Oswego, NY Eviction Risk: VERY HIGH

Oswego County · Population 3,564

In 2026
Risk score
8.7
VERY HIGH

94th percentile, New York.

50-yr Eviction Risk Score history

1976 to 2026 · climbing fast since 2010

Min2.9 Average5.5 Now8.7
9.9 2.9 1976 · score 3.0 1977 · score 3.0 1978 · score 2.9 1979 · score 2.9 1980 · score 3.0 1981 · score 2.9 1982 · score 3.0 1983 · score 3.0 1984 · score 2.9 1985 · score 2.9 1986 · score 2.9 1987 · score 2.9 1988 · score 3.2 1989 · score 3.3 1990 · score 3.4 1991 · score 3.5 1992 · score 4.1 1993 · score 4.1 1994 · score 4.2 1995 · score 4.2 1996 · score 4.7 1997 · score 4.9 1998 · score 4.9 1999 · score 5.0 2000 · score 5.2 2001 · score 5.4 2002 · score 5.5 2003 · score 5.6 2004 · score 5.6 2005 · score 5.6 2006 · score 5.7 2007 · score 5.8 2008 · score 6.2 2009 · score 6.5 2010 · score 6.7 2011 · score 6.8 2012 · score 7.1 2013 · score 7.1 2014 · score 7.1 2015 · score 7.2 2016 · score 7.3 2017 · score 7.4 2018 · score 7.4 2019 · score 8.4 2020 · score 9.9 2021 · score 9.8 2022 · score 8.9 2023 · score 8.4 2024 · score 9.4 2025 · score 8.8 2026 · score 8.7

Key metrics

Estimated values: The U.S. Census suppresses field-level data for small places. Estimated from constituent census tracts, pop-weighted from real underlying ACS data.
Time machine

Scrub 50 years

2026
● LIVE · today ◀ REPLAY · historical

Nine-axis profile

9-axis profile · today

Shape of the risk surface

1 landlord · 10 tenant
Local 4.6 Regional 4.6 State 7.3 Economic 9.8 Supply 9.9 Rent Control 5.6 Eviction 6.5 Tenant 9.9 Housing 4.2 8.7 VERY HIGH
Sub-scores · with sparkline

Where the score comes from

1 → 10 scale
  1. Local political climate
    GOP margin +24.2% (2024)
    4.6
  2. Regional political climate
    County-weighted neighbor mix
    4.6
  3. State political climate
    New York legislature & governorship
    7.3
  4. Economic stress
    47.9% poverty · 24.5% unemp.
    9.8
  5. Supply constraint
    $941 average · 100.0% renters
    9.9
  6. Rent Control risk
    27.4% of income on rent
    5.6
  7. Eviction process difficulty
    377 days filing → judgment
    6.5
  8. Tenant organizing strength
    100.0% renters
    9.9
  9. Housing court bias
    County bench composition
    4.2
Geographic context

Risk heat across SUNY Oswego and the region

Click any city to see its score

How SUNY Oswego compares

Risk score vs. peers, county, state, and the U.S.
Rank in Oswego County
High
#5 of 17 cities
Rank in county, 75th percentileLowHigh
#5 of 17 cities in Oswego County for landlord eviction risk.
Rank in New York
Very High
#110 of 1,285 cities
Rank in state, 92nd percentileLowHigh
#110 of 1,285 cities in New York for landlord eviction risk.
vs. county · state · U.S.
SUNY Oswego risk score vs. county / state / U.S.SUNY Oswego: 8.78.7SUNY OswegoThis cityCounty: 8.58.5Countyavg in countyState: 9.19.1Stateavg in stateU.S.: 4.74.7U.S.national avg
Score story

Six-stop tour of the risk profile

  1. 8.7
    / 10 · VERY HIGH
    The verdict

    A Very high-tier market.

    Composite 8.7/10. Among the 10% riskiest markets nationally, with heavy tenant exposure, so every notice, hearing, and lease termination needs an attorney in the loop. The 50-year curve shows a sharp climb.

    50-yr trend+5.7 over 50 yr
    197620012026

    Steepening since 2010 · COVID inflection visible

  2. 377d
    Typical timeline
    The money

    What renting (and evicting) looks like.

    Rent published at $941/mo. A contested eviction takes 377 days and costs $17,233–$33,092 per case.

    50-yr trendCalendar drag rising since '15
    197620012026

    Court-clerk data lands in the next release.

  3. 100.0%
    Renters
    The renters

    Who you'll be renting to.

    Out of 3,564 residents, 100.0% rent. 27% are spending 30%+ income on rent, 47.9% below the poverty line.

    50-yr trendRenter share rising
    197620012026

    ACS 1970-present · once the migration overlay is in.

  4. 4.6
    Local + regional
    The politics

    Mid-range climate. Not a coastal market.

    Local & regional political climate score 4.6 and 4.6 (GOP margin +24.2% (2024)). State climate at 7.3, a tenant-leaning legislature.

    50-yr trendTracks county vote margin
    197620012026

    Built on 50-yr presidential margins back to 1976.

  5. 7.3
    State politics
    The process

    Long calendar, heavy friction.

    State political climate 7.3/10 sets the legislative ceiling for landlord remedies, and it shows up in the process. Eviction process difficulty reads 6.5, housing court bias 4.2, rent-control risk 5.6. The slow part is the calendar, not the motion practice.

    50-yr trendProcess difficulty +1.5 since '00
    197620012026

    Court-clerk data lands in the next release.

  6. 9.8
    Economic stress
    The stress

    Economic pressure is the real risk.

    Economic stress: 9.8. Supply constraint: 9.9. The numbers behind those: 47.9% poverty, 24.5% unemployment, 27% of income on rent.

    50-yr trendTwo visible dips · '08 + COVID
    197620012026

    Mirrors BLS unemployment series.

US eviction landscape · timeline × all-in cost

SUNY Oswego sits in the slow & expensive quadrant

Bubble size = population · color = risk score
QUICK BUT COSTLY fast docket · high all-in loss SLOW & EXPENSIVE long calendar · high all-in loss QUICK & CHEAP fast docket · low all-in loss SLOW BUT CHEAP long calendar · low all-in loss 30d 50d 75d 100d 150d 200d 300d 450d $2.0k $3.0k $5.0k $7.5k $10k $15k $20k $30k EVICTION TIMELINE (DAYS) → ↑ ALL-IN COST (LOG SCALE) Syracuse, NY · 383d · ~$30.9k all-in ($81/day) · score 8.7 Syracuse New York, NY · 417d · ~$29.5k all-in ($71/day) · score 9.7 New York Buffalo, NY · 428d · ~$30.3k all-in ($71/day) · score 9.4 Buffalo Yonkers, NY · 381d · ~$27.5k all-in ($72/day) · score 9.9 Yonkers Rochester, NY · 430d · ~$32.0k all-in ($74/day) · score 9.1 Rochester Albany, NY · 431d · ~$28.5k all-in ($66/day) · score 9.8 Albany New Rochelle, NY · 429d · ~$27.9k all-in ($65/day) · score 9.5 New Rochelle Cheektowaga, NY · 374d · ~$26.9k all-in ($72/day) · score 7.9 Cheektowaga Mount Vernon, NY · 398d · ~$29.6k all-in ($74/day) · score 9.5 Mount Vernon Schenectady, NY · 420d · ~$26.0k all-in ($62/day) · score 8.7 Schenectady Houston, TX · 24d · ~$2.5k all-in ($103/day) · score 2.8 Houston Phoenix, AZ · 38d · ~$3.3k all-in ($86/day) · score 2.8 Phoenix Memphis, TN · 31d · ~$2.0k all-in ($66/day) · score 3.1 Memphis Atlanta, GA · 40d · ~$2.8k all-in ($69/day) · score 3.4 Atlanta Boston, MA · 187d · ~$20.3k all-in ($109/day) · score 7.1 Boston Chicago, IL · 109d · ~$9.0k all-in ($82/day) · score 5.7 Chicago Seattle, WA · 162d · ~$12.7k all-in ($79/day) · score 7.9 Seattle SUNY Oswego
SUNY Oswego · 377d · ~$25.2k all-in ($67/day) · score 8.7 National average: 58d · $4.6k all-in Hover any bubble for stats · click to open Color: 0–4   4–7   7–10
00Overview

About eviction risk in SUNY Oswego, NY

Landlording in SUNY Oswego, New York, presents one of the toughest environments for property owners in the nation. The Eviction Risk Score is 8.7/10 (VERY HIGH tier), drawn from the nine sub-axes shown above, covering rent-control exposure, eviction-process difficulty, housing-court bias, tenant-organizing strength, supply constraint, economic stress, and local, regional, and state political climate. This is not a quick-fix market: it's a Among the toughest 10% of US markets where lease drafting, screening discipline, and well-documented notices materially change outcomes.

SUNY Oswego is a city of 3,564 residents where 100.0% of occupied units are renter-occupied, and the typical renter spends 27.4% of income on rent. At an average rent of $941/month, the typical renter household here spends more than the federal 30% threshold on housing, a leading indicator of payment volatility and a precondition for the kinds of tenant defenses that show up most often in housing court.

01Process

How SUNY Oswego eviction process actually works

Eviction process difficulty here reads 6.5/10, a number that combines statutory complexity (notice categories, just-cause rules, mandatory pre-filing disclosures) with operational realities (court calendar length and clerk responsiveness). The typical contested filing in SUNY Oswego closes 377 days after the initial notice. For non-payment of rent the first step is a properly-formatted, properly-served pay-or-quit notice; for material lease breaches it's a cure-or-quit; for tenancies under just-cause protection an at-fault grounds notice (or a no-fault notice with statutory relocation assistance) is required.

The slow part of SUNY Oswego's timeline is usually the calendar, not the motion practice. Housing court bias scores 4.2/10 here, meaning judges read borderline procedural defects in the tenant's favor more often than the national norm. The practical implication: every notice and every proof of service needs to be airtight before it gets filed.

02Cost

What it costs (and how long it takes)

An all-in eviction in SUNY Oswego runs $17,233 to $33,092 per case once you account for filing fees, attorney time, lost rent during pendency, sheriff lockout, and unit turnover. That range is wide because the upper bound assumes a tenant answer plus motion practice, common when housing court bias is high. The lower bound assumes a default judgment after proper service.

For landlords running the numbers on holding costs vs. cash-for-keys: if your projected timeline times your monthly rent already exceeds the high-end cost number, cash-for-keys at 1–2 months' rent is typically the economically rational choice. With 377 days of typical timeline and $941/month in lost rent, that crossover happens fast here.

03Operations

Security deposits, screening, and lease terms

Tenant organizing strength scores 9.9/10 in SUNY Oswego, and the city has limited rent control exposure (5.6/10). Operations practice that survives audit in this environment looks like:

  • Screening discipline. Document income (verified at 2.5 to 3x rent), credit (with a clear minimum), and prior-tenancy reference checks, but do not screen on protected categories or source-of-income where banned. Keep a written, consistent screening criteria document for every applicant.
  • Lease specificity. Use a state-specific lease that names every term clearly: rent due date, late fees within statutory caps, deposit handling, smoke and CO disclosure, lead paint disclosure (pre-1978 stock), and a clean attorney's-fees clause.
  • Security deposit handling. Itemize deductions within the statutory window. Photograph move-in/move-out condition. In New York, deposit cap and refund window are statute, so exceed them at your own risk.
  • Mid-tenancy documentation. Keep date-stamped records of every rent receipt, every habitability request, every notice served. The day you need them in court is too late to start.
04Strategy

What an everyday landlord should actually do here

If you own one to four units in SUNY Oswego: hire a property manager who knows the local court. The pricing differential between self-managing and hiring out is small relative to the cost of one botched eviction in a VERY HIGH tier market. If you own five or more: build relationships with a local landlord-side attorney before you need one, since retainer fees are negligible compared to emergency-rate billing when an eviction is already moving.

The avoidable mistakes here are all upstream of the filing: weak screening, an informal lease, sloppy rent receipts, and notice templates pulled off the internet that don't match New York's statutory language. Fix those four, and most cases settle or default. Skip them, and a $33,092 all-in fight is the realistic worst case.

04bPractical traps

Local traps to avoid in SUNY Oswego

Trap · NEW YORK
Oswego County court applies New York statute uniformly. Filing fee, notice period, and trial-to-writ timeline are set at the state level. At $1/10 local risk, expect contested cases and longer timelines than the state average.
05FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Q1

What's the absolute fastest I can get a tenant out for non-payment in SUNY Oswego?

Even with a straightforward case, expect several months, not weeks. The 14-day notice is just the start. After that, court backlogs and procedural steps mean you're looking at a minimum of 2-3 months before you even get a court date, and often much longer for the full process. The 377-day average timeline is real for a reason.
Q2

Can I refuse to rent to a college student because of the higher eviction risk?

No, you cannot discriminate based on age or student status. However, you can (and should) screen all applicants consistently based on financial stability, credit history, and past rental references. A student with a co-signer or verifiable income should be treated the same as any other applicant meeting your criteria. Remember source-of-income protections.
Q3

What if my tenant just stops communicating?

Document everything. Send notices by certified mail and regular mail. Keep a detailed log of all attempts to contact them. Lack of communication doesn't exempt them from the eviction process, but it does make it harder to resolve informally. This is a sign to consult an attorney quickly.
Q4

Is it worth trying "cash for keys" if I'm already in court?

Absolutely. Even if you're a few months into the court process, offering a tenant a lump sum to vacate can still save you significant time and money compared to dragging it out for another 6-12 months. Always have a written agreement for "cash for keys" outlining move-out date and property condition.
Q5

How often do New York eviction laws change?

New York landlord-tenant laws are known for being tenant-friendly and can change frequently, especially around tenant protections and rent-related issues. It's critical to stay updated. Regularly check resources like the New York eviction risk overview or consult with a local attorney to ensure your practices comply with the latest regulations.
Q6

My tenant caused damage. Can I deduct it from the security deposit even if they haven't moved out yet?

No. You can only assess damages and make deductions from the security deposit after the tenant has vacated the property. You then have 14 days to return the remaining deposit or provide an itemized statement. Trying to use the deposit before move-out is a common mistake and can lead to legal trouble.
06Score

What this score means for landlords2

A 8.7/10 places SUNY Oswego in the 94th percentile of New York cities on the Eviction Risk Score index. The score is the average of the nine sub-axes, all calibrated on a national 1 to 10 scale where 1 is most landlord-friendly and 10 is most tenant-protective. The 50-year reconstruction shows this score has risen sharply since 1976, a structural drift driven by court-calendar growth, rent-control adoption, and the rise of tenant-side legal aid. The trajectory matters more than the snapshot: the score is the climate, not the weather.