The Town FilesGuilford, New York
Town in Chenango County · population 2,741 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $121,400
- Household income
- $73,681
- Jan low / Jul high
- 12° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 79 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 46.0
Guilford is a town of 2,741 people in Chenango County, New York. The median home is worth $121,400, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks quieter than 92% of New York towns, better for a vacation home than 73% of New York towns, easier by car than 71% of New York towns.
How Guilford 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 Guilford is worth $121,400, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 1.6 times the median household income of $73,681, which is more affordable than 96% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,285 a month. 81.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Guilford | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $121,400 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $1,285 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $73,681 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.6× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 81.8% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 21.0% | — |
Who lives in Guilford
| People | Guilford | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.0 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.4% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 16.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.6% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.0% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 7.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.7% | — |
| Work from home | 2.6% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 28.0 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.7% | 91.1% |
Weather in Guilford
July highs average 81.1°F and January lows 11.8°F. About 45.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 79.4 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 160 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Guilford since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on April 26, 2011 about 4.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 19, 2013.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 23 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 21, 1990.
Severe weather in Chenango County since 1996
Chenango County has been included in 31 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 24, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4825: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Debby |
| August 22, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3565: Hurricane Henri |
| March 20, 2020 | Biological | DR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3434: Covid-19 |
| December 19, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4472: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Chenango County
Chenango County had 17,279 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $64,170 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Guilford itself the ACS puts it at 11.7%.
Public schools in Guilford
1 public school with 128 students, about 12.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| GUILFORD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-1 | 128 | 12.8 |
Towns near Guilford
- Unadilla, NY6.5 mi · 4,116 people · home $126,100
- Sidney, NY7.0 mi · 3,697 people · home $120,700
- Bainbridge, NY7.4 mi · 3,060 people · home $150,500
- Oxford, NY7.4 mi · 3,614 people · home $119,400
- Norwich, NY7.7 mi · 3,599 people · home $127,100
- Norwich, NY9.8 mi · 7,051 people · home $121,100
- Sidney, NY11.1 mi · 5,536 people · home $122,100
- Afton, NY12.8 mi · 2,769 people · home $125,700
Guilford questions
Is Guilford, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Guilford scores better for retirees than 13% of New York towns and quieter than 92%. 18.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.0).
How much does a house cost in Guilford?
The median owner-occupied home in Guilford is valued at $121,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $73,681, so homes cost about 1.6 times income. Median rent is $1,285 a month.
What is the weather like in Guilford?
July highs average 81.1°F and January lows 11.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.3 inches of precipitation a year and 79.4 inches of snow.
Does Guilford get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Guilford since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on April 26, 2011. 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)