January 29, 2025
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Village on the make: Oswego to conduct special census

Expected to show village closing in on 40,000 population

By Eric Schelkopf
New houses continue to go up in Hudson Pointe development in Oswego.

New houses continue to go up in Hudson Pointe development in Oswego. (Eric Schelkopf)

Oswego could see more than $800,000 in additional revenues annually from a special census set to take place in the fall.

The last time the village had a special census done was in 2016. The 2020 decennial census the U.S. Census Bureau conducted showed Oswego with a population of 34,585.

The U.S. census is done every 10 years.

“Additional revenue from a special census is estimated to reach $850,000 annually,” Oswego finance director Andrea Lamberg said.

The additional revenues will help serve the village’s growing population. Village officials estimate Oswego’s population is more than 37,000.

“We are looking for the census to give us an updated number of where we’re at,” Oswego Village President Ryan Kauffman said in speaking to state legislators recently. “We’re probably heading closer to the 40,000 mark. If we’re not there yet, we will be there in perhaps the next year or two.”

The number of new homes in Oswego continues to grow. In 2024, the village saw 200 new residential units.

In addition, 3,600 more units were either approved or under construction. Along with that, 1,300 more units are under consideration.

“We know that on average, we’re adding about 1,000 residents per year,” Kauffman said. “The special census will give us a more accurate number of where we’re at now.”

Kauffman said the additional revenues gained from the special census will help pay for projects like improving the intersection of Wolfs Crossing and Route 30 and bringing Lake Michigan water to Oswego.

“We’ve got all these big things that we need to get done and we need the funding to do it,” he said.

A full special census is estimated to cost $768,950. The U.S. Census Bureau can conduct a full special census for a community or a partial special census.

With a partial special census, the area being counted is typically much smaller. Governmental units may choose to conduct a partial special census with just those areas that might have experienced a large population growth or a boundary change, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s website.