The Town FilesClarkson, New York
Community in Monroe County · population 4,694 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $193,500
- Household income
- $76,368
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 78 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 41.0
Clarkson is a community of 4,694 people in Monroe County, New York. The median home is worth $193,500, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks better for young professionals than 95% of New York towns, better for retirees than 90% of New York towns, easier by car than 80% of New York towns.
How Clarkson 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.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Clarkson is worth $193,500, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $76,368, which is more affordable than 63% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,081 a month. 60.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Clarkson | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $193,500 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $1,081 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $76,368 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 60.0% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1990 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Clarkson
| People | Clarkson | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.0 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.1% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 20.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.8% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.2% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 4.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.8% | — |
| Work from home | 9.1% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 24.3 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.6% | 91.1% |
Weather in Clarkson
July highs average 79.8°F and January lows 18.0°F. About 35.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 78.3 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 128 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Clarkson since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on July 25, 2009 about 6.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 25, 2009.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 16 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 21, 2013.
Severe weather in Monroe County since 1996
Monroe County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 20, 2020 | Biological | DR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3434: Covid-19 |
| November 14, 2017 | Flood | DR-4348: Flooding |
| October 28, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3351: Hurricane Sandy |
| September 30, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3262: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Monroe County
Monroe County had 382,138 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $66,838 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Clarkson itself the ACS puts it at 1%.
Towns near Clarkson
- Clarkson, NY0.9 mi · 6,904 people · home $207,000
- Brockport, NY2.2 mi · 7,104 people · home $157,700
- Hamlin, NY4.3 mi · 5,177 people · home $134,500
- Sweden, NY4.4 mi · 13,244 people · home $186,800
- Hamlin, NY5.7 mi · 8,725 people · home $166,200
- Parma, NY6.2 mi · 16,217 people · home $220,000
- Spencerport, NY6.5 mi · 3,685 people · home $188,400
- Ogden, NY7.0 mi · 20,270 people · home $235,200
Clarkson questions
Is Clarkson, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Clarkson scores better for retirees than 90% of New York towns and quieter than 57%. 21.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.0).
How much does a house cost in Clarkson?
The median owner-occupied home in Clarkson is valued at $193,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $76,368, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $1,081 a month.
What is the weather like in Clarkson?
July highs average 79.8°F and January lows 18.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.5 inches of precipitation a year and 78.3 inches of snow.
Does Clarkson get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Clarkson since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on July 25, 2009. The typical New York town has had 5.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)