Oswego County, New York · Oswego
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Pipes freeze in Oswego County on about 56 nights a year, mostly November to April. Older homes, 40% of the stock here, are most at risk.
Heavy rain days of an inch or more come about 6 times a year here, most often in August. A sump pump that hasn't run since last season is a common weak point.
Sewage backups in Oswego County spike on heavy-rain days, about 6 a year, when sewer mains fill up and water finds the lowest drain.
Roof leaks here come from summer downpours and, with about 91 freeze-thaw days a year, from winter ice dams. Most show up as ceiling stains in the room below.
30% of occupied homes in Oswego County heat mainly with wood or propane, above the New York county median of 19%.
About 16 nights a year here stay at 65°F or warmer, so basements and crawl spaces can grow mold even without a leak.
Local risk profile
About 117,953 people live in Oswego County, 952 square miles in northern New York, in roughly 54,844 homes. The county seat is Oswego, and Fulton, SUNY Oswego and Phoenix round out the largest towns. Half the homes here were built before 1971, half after.
48/100 Water Damage Risk Index: Elevated Oswego County ranks 33 of 57 New York counties. See the statewide ranking and method.The three factors where Oswego County ranks highest compared with other New York counties.
Pipe-freeze risk in Oswego County sits near the middle of the state. In the 2015–2024 record the county logged about 56 nights a year at or below 20°F (24th of 57) and 136 below freezing. Twenty degrees is roughly where uninsulated pipes start to freeze.
Cold snaps are the real risk. The worst in the record lasted 32 days below freezing (ending March 2015), and the low bottomed out near -23°F on February 14, 2016.
Most freezing nights fall from November to April, peaking in January. Disconnect garden hoses and shut off outdoor spigots before the first hard frost, and keep the heat at 55°F or higher if you'll be away.
Freezing nights typically start around Oct 22 and end around May 7.
Rainfall is about average for New York. The county gets about 46.3 inches of rain and melted snow a year, with 6 days of an inch or more (29th of 57). Those downpours cluster in June, July and August, when sump pumps and gutters are tested hardest. The wettest day on record brought 3.11 inches on November 12, 2022. The worst three-day stretch dropped 4.42 inches, ending October 23, 2016, the kind of soaking that overwhelms sump pumps and storm sewers.
About 91 days a year swing from below freezing at night to above freezing by day. Those freeze-thaw cycles feed ice dams on roofs, open cracks in foundations and driveways, and stress pipes that are already marginal.
Housing
New York's 57 counties range widely in housing age; Oswego ranks 46th, with 61% of its homes built before 1980.
The mix runs from 40% built before 1960 to 13% built since 2000, so older neighborhoods bring aging pipe while newer subdivisions bring failed appliance lines and water heaters.
About 26% of homes went up between 1980 and 1999. Some houses from the late 1970s to the mid-1990s were plumbed with polybutylene, a gray plastic pipe known for failing at fittings. A plumber can tell you in a few minutes whether you have it.
Manufactured and mobile homes make up 13% of the housing here. Water lines in the underbelly depend on intact skirting and working heat tape, and they're usually the first to freeze in a cold snap.
Beyond water
About 16 nights a year in Oswego County stay at 65°F or warmer, a sign of muggy summer air (17th of 57 counties). October is the wettest month. The EPA recommends keeping indoor humidity below 60%, ideally 30 to 50%. Basements can pass 60% on their own in summer, so a dehumidifier matters even without a leak, and anything wet should be dried within 24 to 48 hours.
Mold remediation: what to expectMain heating fuel in Oswego County's occupied homes: 41% utility gas, 15% electric, 22% propane and 8% wood. Wood and propane heat are more common here than the state median. Have chimneys swept and fuel-burning appliances serviced each fall, and keep three feet clear around stoves and space heaters.
Fire and smoke cleanup: first stepsCoverage
Calls connect to restoration companies that work across Oswego County. The largest communities by population:
Population from ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Townships and unincorporated areas are covered too.
Nearby
Jefferson, Lewis, Madison and Oneida get more pipe-freeze nights than Oswego. Oneida County has the oldest housing nearby, with 75% of homes built before 1980.
By the numbers
| Factor | Oswego | New York median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1960 | 40% | 45% | 41 of 57 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 61% | 67% | 46 of 57 |
| Homes built 2000 or later | 13% | 13% | 26 of 57 |
| Manufactured or mobile homes | 13% | 7.6% | 5 of 57 |
| Vacant homes | 14% | 14% | 29 of 57 |
| Wood or propane heat | 30% | 19% | 6 of 57 |
| Nights at 20°F or colder | 56/yr | 55/yr | 24 of 57 |
| Days with 1 inch+ of rain | 6/yr | 6/yr | 29 of 57 |
| Freeze-thaw days | 91/yr | 101/yr | 41 of 57 |
| Muggy nights (65°F+) | 16/yr | 12/yr | 17 of 57 |
Rank 1 is the highest value. Bars run from the lowest to the highest New York county; the tick marks the median; orange means higher water damage risk than the median, green means lower.
Questions
Peak risk months in Oswego County: freezing from November to April, heavy rain in June, July and August.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024); weather from NOAA nClimGrid-Daily county averages (EpiNOAA), 2015–2024, averaged across the county; county boundaries from Census TIGER. Reviewed 2026-10-21. Methodology