Mexico is a village located in the town of the same name in Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 1,531 at the 2020 census. The village is located along New York State routes 3, 69, and 104.
History
The first Mexico (a proposed county), with all the surrounding towns, was originally created from the town of Whitestown, Herkimer County, New York, on April 10, 1792, by the state land commissioner. It was to include present-day Oswego and Jefferson counties. The original organization of the proposed Mexico County and a town of that name was abandoned for a time. In December 1794, George Ludwig Christian Scriba purchased and patented a large tract of land; subsequently becoming a second Mexico, hence the village and town of Mexico.
George Scriba also later opened roads traveling from Mexico Bay and Mexico Point from what is now Mexico Point State Park to present-day Constantia, as well as a highway to present-day Oswego.
In 1813 a system of public schools was established with 14 districts. The number increased to 19 by 1895 as new settlements developed. In 1822 a two-story brick school housing grades on the first floor and high school on the second. This was called "the Academy" and was admitted to the state system by the regents in 1833. Mexico was the first school of secondary education to be founded in what is now Oswego County. Mexico was the first school to centralize in Oswego county. This occurred in 1936 when 31 districts in the towns of Mexico, Palermo and New Haven closed to make Mexico Academy and Central School. An elementary school continued in New Haven and Palermo while the rest of the students were bussed to Mexico. The Mexico Stone Store was added in 2010.
Geography
Mexico is located at (43.464173, -76.234643).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 2.1 square miles (5.5 km<sup>2</sup>), all land.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,572 people, 652 households, and 427 families residing in the village. The population density was . There were 721 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the village was 98.28% White, 0.19% Black or African American, 0.32% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.13% from other races, and 0.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.57% of the population.
There were 652 households, out of which 36.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.5% were married couples living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.4% were non-families. 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the village, the population was spread out, with 27.6% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 87 males. For every 100 females age 18 and under, there were 83 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $35,761, and the median income for a family was $41,696. Males had a median income of $39,306 versus $23,875 for females. The per capita income for the village was $18,227. About 9.4% of families and 13.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.3% of those under age 18 and 13.1% of those age 65 or over.