The Town Files

Kinderhook, New York

Town in Columbia County · population 8,330 (2020 Census)

Map: where Kinderhook is in New YorkKinderhook
Median home
$349,900
Household income
$81,989
Jan low / Jul high
16° / 84°
Snow a year
44 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
10
Median age
47.2

Kinderhook is a town of 8,330 people in Columbia County, New York. The median home is worth $349,900, above the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks better for retirees than 78% of New York towns, easier by car than 78% of New York towns, better for cycling than 77% of New York towns.

How Kinderhook 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.

Kinderhook lifestyle rankings vs other New York townsRetirement78th pctFamilies43rd pctQuiet55th pctWalkability64th pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals68th pctVibrancy48th pctHip & trendy58th pctCollege town31st pctUpscale74th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCycling77th pctTransit50th pctDriving78th 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 Kinderhook is worth $349,900, above the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 4.3 times the median household income of $81,989, which is more affordable than 20% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,065 a month. 79.1% of households own their home.

Kinderhook vs Columbia County vs typical New York townKinderhookColumbia CountyTypical New York townHome value$349,900$347,100$217,700Household income$81,989$81,528$80,740Monthly rent$1,065$1,260$1,080
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of New York towns with 500+ people.
HousingKinderhookTypical New York town
Median home value$349,900$217,700
Median rent$1,065$1,080
Median household income$81,989$80,740
Home value ÷ income4.3×2.8×
Homeownership79.1%79.5%
Median year built19731965
Seasonal / vacation homes7.1%—

Who lives in Kinderhook

PeopleKinderhookTypical New York town
Median age47.243.5
Age 65 and over26.4%20.4%
Under 1818.3%—
Bachelor's degree or higher43.1%30.4%
Below the poverty line8.8%9.3%
Veterans5.9%—
Born outside the U.S.3.4%—
Work from home18.0%11.1%
Average commute25.5 min26.0 min
Homes with broadband91.0%91.1%

Weather in Kinderhook

July highs average 83.5°F and January lows 16.1°F. About 42.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 43.8 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 144 nights at or below freezing.

Kinderhook monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing34°16°Jan37°18°Feb45°27°Mar59°37°Apr71°48°May79°58°Jun84°62°Jul82°60°Aug75°52°Sep62°41°Oct50°32°Nov39°23°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.212.02.29.82.98.33.31.23.84.53.84.44.64.30.23.21.32.911.0
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Valatie 1 N station (1.6 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 4 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Kinderhook since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 21, 2003 about 1.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on November 17, 2010.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Kinderhook by decade01950s01960s01970s01980s11990s82000s12010s02020s
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 41 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 8, 2011.

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 Kinderhook itself the ACS puts it at 6.7%.

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 Kinderhook

Kinderhook questions

Is Kinderhook, New York a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Kinderhook scores better for retirees than 78% of New York towns and quieter than 55%. 26.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.2).

How much does a house cost in Kinderhook?

The median owner-occupied home in Kinderhook is valued at $349,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $81,989, so homes cost about 4.3 times income. Median rent is $1,065 a month.

What is the weather like in Kinderhook?

July highs average 83.5°F and January lows 16.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.0 inches of precipitation a year and 43.8 inches of snow.

Does Kinderhook get tornadoes?

10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Kinderhook since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 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 Kinderhook's Census boundary (GEOID 3602139573). 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.