The Town FilesMoriah, New York
Town in Essex County · population 4,716 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $138,200
- Household income
- $63,113
- Jan low / Jul high
- 9° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 64 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 56.7
Moriah is a town of 4,716 people in Essex County, New York. The median home is worth $138,200, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks better for retirees than 80% of New York towns.
How Moriah 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 Moriah is worth $138,200, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $63,113, which is more affordable than 76% of New York towns. Median rent is $832 a month. 80.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Moriah | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $138,200 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $832 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $63,113 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 80.9% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1951 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 8.3% | — |
Who lives in Moriah
| People | Moriah | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 56.7 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 33.4% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 15.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.1% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.5% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 6.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.7% | — |
| Work from home | 9.4% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 32.1 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.2% | 91.1% |
Weather in Moriah
July highs average 80.4°F and January lows 9.2°F. About 38.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 63.7 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 155 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Moriah since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, unrated, struck on May 9, 1978 about 4.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 9, 1978.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 14 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 29, 2012.
Severe weather in Essex County since 1996
Essex County has been included in 25 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 29, 2024 | Flood | DR-4814: Severe Storm, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| July 22, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4723: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| March 20, 2020 | Biological | DR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3434: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Essex County
Essex County had 14,768 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,601 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Moriah itself the ACS puts it at 2.2%.
Towns near Moriah
- Ticonderoga, NY15.1 mi · 4,789 people · home $176,200
- Ticonderoga, NY15.7 mi · 3,250 people · home $158,200
- Vergennes, VT15.8 mi · 2,553 people · home $310,000
- Ferrisburgh, VT16.2 mi · 2,646 people · home $422,700
- Middlebury, VT18.9 mi · 7,304 people · home $417,400
- Middlebury, VT20.9 mi · 9,152 people · home $409,700
- Charlotte, VT22.7 mi · 3,912 people · home $695,300
- Bristol, VT24.2 mi · 3,782 people · home $337,300
Moriah questions
Is Moriah, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Moriah scores better for retirees than 80% of New York towns and quieter than 68%. 33.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 56.7).
How much does a house cost in Moriah?
The median owner-occupied home in Moriah is valued at $138,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $63,113, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $832 a month.
What is the weather like in Moriah?
July highs average 80.4°F and January lows 9.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.7 inches of precipitation a year and 63.7 inches of snow.
Does Moriah get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Moriah since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events). 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)