The Town FilesOlive, New York
Town in Ulster County · population 4,226 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $375,100
- Household income
- $114,018
- Jan low / Jul high
- 12° / 74°
- Snow a year
- 105 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 49.4
Olive is a town of 4,226 people in Ulster County, New York. The median home is worth $375,100, above the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks better for a vacation home than 98% of New York towns, better for retirees than 97% of New York towns, quieter than 87% of New York towns.
- #2 in 25 Small Towns in New York With the Coolest Summers
- #4 in The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in New York With the Fewest Tornadoes
- #13 in The 25 Best Vacation-Home Small Towns in New York
- #17 in 25 Small Towns in New York With the Most Remote Workers
- #49 in The 50 Best Small Towns to Retire in America With the Fewest Tornadoes
How Olive 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 Olive is worth $375,100, above the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $114,018, which is more affordable than 38% of New York towns. Median rent is $2,149 a month. 89.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Olive | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $375,100 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $2,149 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $114,018 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.3× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 89.4% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 14.3% | — |
Who lives in Olive
| People | Olive | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.4 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 26.8% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 12.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45.5% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.0% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 5.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.4% | — |
| Work from home | 31.1% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 29.8 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.3% | 91.1% |
Weather in Olive
July highs average 74.0°F and January lows 12.3°F. About 63.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 104.7 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 0 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 167 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Olive since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an F0, struck on May 12, 1984 about 9.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 12, 1984.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 7 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 15, 2018.
Severe weather in Ulster County since 1996
Ulster County has been included in 37 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 5, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4615: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| September 2, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3572: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Ulster County
Ulster County had 59,330 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,154 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Olive itself the ACS puts it at 17.1%.
Towns near Olive
- Marbletown, NY7.3 mi · 5,658 people · home $466,400
- Hurley, NY7.3 mi · 6,178 people · home $398,900
- Woodstock, NY9.1 mi · 6,287 people · home $604,700
- Shandaken, NY9.1 mi · 2,866 people · home $346,100
- Rochester, NY9.3 mi · 7,272 people · home $354,300
- Woodstock, NY10.1 mi · 2,521 people · home $675,600
- Hurley, NY10.8 mi · 3,346 people · home $357,800
- Rosendale, NY11.8 mi · 5,782 people · home $326,300
Olive questions
Is Olive, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Olive scores better for retirees than 97% of New York towns and quieter than 87%. 26.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 49.4).
How much does a house cost in Olive?
The median owner-occupied home in Olive is valued at $375,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $114,018, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $2,149 a month.
What is the weather like in Olive?
July highs average 74.0°F and January lows 12.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 63.1 inches of precipitation a year and 104.7 inches of snow.
Does Olive get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Olive since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on May 12, 1984. 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)