The Town Files

Copake, New York

Town in Columbia County · population 3,346 (2020 Census)

Map: where Copake is in New YorkCopake
Median home
$325,000
Household income
$113,611
Jan low / Jul high
14° / 83°
Snow a year
50 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
2
Median age
59.3

Copake is a town of 3,346 people in Columbia County, New York. The median home is worth $325,000, above the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks better for retirees than 98% of New York towns, quieter than 92% of New York towns, better for a vacation home than 91% of New York towns.

Copake in our rankings:

How Copake 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.

Copake lifestyle rankings vs other New York townsRetirement98th pctFamilies25th pctQuiet92nd pctWalkability24th pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals80th pctVibrancy25th pctHip & trendy70th pctCollege town19th pctUpscale78th pctVacation homes91st pctSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit66th pctDriving28th 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 Copake is worth $325,000, above the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $113,611, which is more affordable than 49% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,204 a month. 88.8% of households own their home.

Copake vs Columbia County vs typical New York townCopakeColumbia CountyTypical New York townHome value$325,000$347,100$217,700Household income$113,611$81,528$80,740Monthly rent$1,204$1,260$1,080
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of New York towns with 500+ people.
HousingCopakeTypical New York town
Median home value$325,000$217,700
Median rent$1,204$1,080
Median household income$113,611$80,740
Home value ÷ income2.9×2.8×
Homeownership88.8%79.5%
Median year built19701965
Seasonal / vacation homes30.5%—

Who lives in Copake

PeopleCopakeTypical New York town
Median age59.343.5
Age 65 and over32.4%20.4%
Under 1811.6%—
Bachelor's degree or higher37.0%30.4%
Below the poverty line13.5%9.3%
Veterans4.8%—
Born outside the U.S.4.5%—
Work from home15.1%11.1%
Average commute31.6 min26.0 min
Homes with broadband93.3%91.1%

Weather in Copake

July highs average 83.0°F and January lows 14.2°F. About 43.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 49.6 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 157 nights at or below freezing.

Copake monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing34°14°Jan37°15°Feb45°23°Mar59°34°Apr70°45°May78°55°Jun83°60°Jul81°59°Aug73°51°Sep60°40°Oct50°30°Nov39°21°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue3.115.52.310.03.310.03.31.84.64.33.83.84.54.22.91.83.410.5
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Copake station (1.3 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Copake since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 12, 1955 about 9.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 3, 1997.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Copake by decade11950s01960s01970s01980s11990s02000s02010s02020s
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 21 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on August 31, 1973.

Severe weather in Columbia County since 1996

Storm events in Columbia County since 1996 by typeHail95Heat94Flood53High Wind76Heavy Snow37Flash Flood75Strong Wind110Frost/Freeze55
NOAA Storm Events Database, Columbia County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 7 deaths recorded.

Columbia County has been included in 27 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 Columbia County

Columbia County had 20,888 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,241 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Copake itself the ACS puts it at 5.7%.

Largest industries in Columbia CountyHealth care & social assistan…3,911 jobs · $54,995Retail2,729 jobs · $40,577Hotels & restaurants2,017 jobs · $31,979Manufacturing1,504 jobs · $63,282Construction1,252 jobs · $62,991Other services615 jobs · $43,007
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Columbia County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%2000200420082012201620202023Columbia 3%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Copake

Copake questions

Is Copake, New York a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Copake scores better for retirees than 98% of New York towns and quieter than 92%. 32.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 59.3).

How much does a house cost in Copake?

The median owner-occupied home in Copake is valued at $325,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $113,611, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $1,204 a month.

What is the weather like in Copake?

July highs average 83.0°F and January lows 14.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.5 inches of precipitation a year and 49.6 inches of snow.

Does Copake get tornadoes?

2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Copake since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 12, 1955. The typical New York town has had 5.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Copake's Census boundary (GEOID 3602118102). 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.