The Town Files

Massena, New York

Town in St. Lawrence County · population 12,433 (2020 Census)

Map: where Massena is in New YorkMassena
Median home
$106,400
Household income
$54,595
Jan low / Jul high
6° / 81°
Snow a year
75 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
0
Median age
46.1

Massena is a town of 12,433 people in St. Lawrence County, New York. The median home is worth $106,400, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks better for cycling than 92% of New York towns, hipper than 72% of New York towns.

Massena in our rankings:

How Massena 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.

Massena lifestyle rankings vs other New York townsRetirement54th pctFamilies8th pctQuiet43rd pctWalkability64th pctFirst-time buyers51st pctYoung professionals54th pctVibrancy69th pctHip & trendy72nd pctCollege town16th pctUpscale7th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCycling92nd pctTransit37th pctDriving61st 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 Massena is worth $106,400, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $54,595, which is more affordable than 88% of New York towns. Median rent is $725 a month. 60.9% of households own their home.

Massena vs St. Lawrence County vs typical New York townMassenaSt. Lawrence CountyTypical New York townHome value$106,400$121,900$217,700Household income$54,595$62,850$80,740Monthly rent$725$818$1,080
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of New York towns with 500+ people.
HousingMassenaTypical New York town
Median home value$106,400$217,700
Median rent$725$1,080
Median household income$54,595$80,740
Home value ÷ income1.9×2.8×
Homeownership60.9%79.5%
Median year built19541965
Seasonal / vacation homes1.5%—

Who lives in Massena

PeopleMassenaTypical New York town
Median age46.143.5
Age 65 and over22.5%20.4%
Under 1816.1%—
Bachelor's degree or higher21.4%30.4%
Below the poverty line23.1%9.3%
Veterans7.4%—
Born outside the U.S.4.1%—
Work from home3.4%11.1%
Average commute18.8 min26.0 min
Homes with broadband85.2%91.1%

Weather in Massena

July highs average 80.8°F and January lows 5.9°F. About 33.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 75.2 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 158 nights at or below freezing.

Massena monthly temperatures and precipitation0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing25°6°Jan28°7°Feb38°19°Mar54°32°Apr68°44°May76°53°Jun81°58°Jul79°56°Aug71°48°Sep58°37°Oct45°27°Nov32°16°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.116.91.615.62.015.72.94.93.10.23.73.53.43.53.40.42.65.72.115.8
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Massena Intl Ap station (1.9 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 1 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Massena since 1950.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 11 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on October 1, 2019.

Severe weather in St. Lawrence County since 1996

Storm events in St. Lawrence County since 1996 by typeHail69Heat21Flood18High Wind61Heavy Snow21Strong Wind68Winter Storm238Winter Weather332
NOAA Storm Events Database, St. Lawrence County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 2 deaths recorded.

St. Lawrence County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
September 24, 2024Tropical StormDR-4825: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Debby
August 29, 2024FloodDR-4814: Severe Storm, Tornadoes, And Flooding
March 15, 2023SnowstormDR-4694: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm
November 20, 2022Winter StormEM-3589: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm
March 20, 2020BiologicalDR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic

Jobs and pay in St. Lawrence County

St. Lawrence County had 34,764 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,502 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Massena itself the ACS puts it at 6.1%.

Largest industries in St. Lawrence CountyHealth care & social assistan…5,356 jobs · $66,847Retail4,457 jobs · $35,104Hotels & restaurants2,629 jobs · $23,508Manufacturing2,347 jobs · $80,029Education2,019 jobs · $60,212Construction1,400 jobs · $70,832
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in St. Lawrence County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%12%2000200420082012201620202023St. Lawrence 4.4%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Massena

Massena questions

Is Massena, New York a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Massena scores better for retirees than 54% of New York towns and quieter than 43%. 22.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.1).

How much does a house cost in Massena?

The median owner-occupied home in Massena is valued at $106,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $54,595, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $725 a month.

What is the weather like in Massena?

July highs average 80.8°F and January lows 5.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.9 inches of precipitation a year and 75.2 inches of snow.

Does Massena get tornadoes?

No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Massena in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Massena's Census boundary (GEOID 3608946030). 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.