The Town Files

Brunswick, New York

Town in Rensselaer County · population 12,581 (2020 Census)

Map: where Brunswick is in New YorkBrunswick
Median home
$285,600
Household income
$107,350
Jan low / Jul high
17° / 86°
Snow a year
53 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
3
Median age
43.8

Brunswick is a town of 12,581 people in Rensselaer County, New York. The median home is worth $285,600, above the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks more upscale than 81% of New York towns, easier by car than 80% of New York towns, better for young professionals than 70% of New York towns.

How Brunswick ranks

Percentile among New York towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New York towns.

Brunswick lifestyle rankings vs other New York townsRetirement63rd pctFamilies47th pctQuiet47th pctWalkability62nd pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals70th pctVibrancy57th pctHip & trendy61st pctCollege town63rd pctUpscale81st pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit42nd pctDriving80th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Brunswick is worth $285,600, above the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $107,350, which is more affordable than 55% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,427 a month. 78.9% of households own their home.

Brunswick vs Rensselaer County vs typical New York townBrunswickRensselaer CountyTypical New York townHome value$285,600$258,400$217,700Household income$107,350$87,915$80,740Monthly rent$1,427$1,217$1,080
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of New York towns with 500+ people.
HousingBrunswickTypical New York town
Median home value$285,600$217,700
Median rent$1,427$1,080
Median household income$107,350$80,740
Home value ÷ income2.7×2.8×
Homeownership78.9%79.5%
Median year built19681965
Seasonal / vacation homes1.9%—

Who lives in Brunswick

PeopleBrunswickTypical New York town
Median age43.843.5
Age 65 and over19.6%20.4%
Under 1820.7%—
Bachelor's degree or higher43.0%30.4%
Below the poverty line2.8%9.3%
Veterans4.8%—
Born outside the U.S.4.6%—
Work from home12.4%11.1%
Average commute27.3 min26.0 min
Homes with broadband94.5%91.1%

Weather in Brunswick

July highs average 85.6°F and January lows 16.9°F. About 42.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 52.7 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 131 nights at or below freezing.

Brunswick monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing34°17°Jan37°18°Feb46°26°Mar60°38°Apr73°49°May81°59°Jun86°64°Jul84°62°Aug77°54°Sep64°43°Oct51°33°Nov40°25°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.615.62.49.42.910.93.12.43.84.64.63.93.84.20.32.83.13.111.0
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Troy L&D station (5.1 mi away); snow from West Sand Lake 2 S (8.9 mi).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Brunswick since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an F1, struck on July 21, 2003 about 0.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 21, 2003.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Brunswick by decade01950s01960s11970s01980s11990s12000s02010s02020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 62 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 1, 2001.

Severe weather in Rensselaer County since 1996

Storm events in Rensselaer County since 1996 by typeHail104Heat79Flood70High Wind77Heavy Snow48Flash Flood71Strong Wind107Frost/Freeze49
NOAA Storm Events Database, Rensselaer County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 1 deaths recorded.

Rensselaer County has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
August 22, 2021HurricaneEM-3565: Hurricane Henri
March 20, 2020BiologicalDR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3434: Covid-19
July 12, 2017SnowstormDR-4322: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm
October 28, 2012HurricaneEM-3351: Hurricane Sandy

Jobs and pay in Rensselaer County

Rensselaer County had 56,791 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $78,789 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Brunswick itself the ACS puts it at 3.1%.

Largest industries in Rensselaer CountyHealth care & social assistan…7,591 jobs · $56,787Manufacturing7,007 jobs · $162,823Retail5,682 jobs · $38,894Hotels & restaurants4,286 jobs · $27,903Transportation & warehousing4,140 jobs · $67,567Construction2,871 jobs · $87,388
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Rensselaer County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%2000200420082012201620202023Rensselaer 3.3%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Brunswick

Brunswick questions

Is Brunswick, New York a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Brunswick scores better for retirees than 63% of New York towns and quieter than 47%. 19.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.8).

How much does a house cost in Brunswick?

The median owner-occupied home in Brunswick is valued at $285,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $107,350, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $1,427 a month.

What is the weather like in Brunswick?

July highs average 85.6°F and January lows 16.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.1 inches of precipitation a year and 52.7 inches of snow.

Does Brunswick get tornadoes?

3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Brunswick since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on July 21, 2003. The typical New York town has had 5.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Brunswick's Census boundary (GEOID 3608310275). Comparisons use the median of New York towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.