The Town Files

Orleans, New York

Town in Jefferson County · population 2,788 (2020 Census)

Map: where Orleans is in New YorkOrleans
Median home
$190,300
Household income
$77,500
Jan low / Jul high
10° / 79°
Snow a year
108 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
0
Median age
40.2

Orleans is a town of 2,788 people in Jefferson County, New York. The median home is worth $190,300, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks better for cycling than 80% of New York towns, easier by car than 72% of New York towns, better for a vacation home than 71% of New York towns.

How Orleans 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.

Orleans lifestyle rankings vs other New York townsRetirement29th pctFamilies38th pctQuiet41st pctWalkability17th pctFirst-time buyers43rd pctYoung professionals43rd pctVibrancy36th pctHip & trendy16th pctCollege town38th pctUpscale21st pctVacation homes71st pctSeaside characterbottomCycling80th pctTransit35th pctDriving72nd 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 Orleans is worth $190,300, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $77,500, which is more affordable than 63% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,061 a month. 78.8% of households own their home.

Orleans vs Jefferson County vs typical New York townOrleansJefferson CountyTypical New York townHome value$190,300$188,200$217,700Household income$77,500$66,301$80,740Monthly rent$1,061$1,213$1,080
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of New York towns with 500+ people.
HousingOrleansTypical New York town
Median home value$190,300$217,700
Median rent$1,061$1,080
Median household income$77,500$80,740
Home value ÷ income2.5×2.8×
Homeownership78.8%79.5%
Median year built19701965
Seasonal / vacation homes43.1%—

Who lives in Orleans

PeopleOrleansTypical New York town
Median age40.243.5
Age 65 and over22.7%20.4%
Under 1827.4%—
Bachelor's degree or higher24.5%30.4%
Below the poverty line8.0%9.3%
Veterans11.2%—
Born outside the U.S.1.1%—
Work from home18.2%11.1%
Average commute20.8 min26.0 min
Homes with broadband90.4%91.1%

Weather in Orleans

July highs average 79.2°F and January lows 10.0°F. About 37.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 107.9 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 151 nights at or below freezing.

Orleans monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°32° freezing30°10°Jan31°11°Feb40°21°Mar54°33°Apr66°44°May75°53°Jun79°59°Jul78°57°Aug71°49°Sep58°39°Oct47°30°Nov36°19°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.930.32.227.32.414.13.13.23.03.13.03.23.64.20.63.48.43.123.8
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Watertown Intl Ap station (16.4 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 2 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

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

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 4 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 15, 2018.

Severe weather in Jefferson County since 1996

Storm events in Jefferson County since 1996 by typeHail24Flood19Blizzard6High Wind64Heavy Snow63Flash Flood10Frost/Freeze21Winter Storm55
NOAA Storm Events Database, Jefferson County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 3 deaths recorded.

Jefferson County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
September 24, 2024Tropical StormDR-4825: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Debby
November 20, 2022Winter StormEM-3589: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm
March 20, 2020BiologicalDR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3434: Covid-19
December 19, 2019Severe StormDR-4472: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding

Jobs and pay in Jefferson County

Jefferson County had 40,308 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,545 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Orleans itself the ACS puts it at 6.9%.

Largest industries in Jefferson CountyHealth care & social assistan…6,712 jobs · $62,819Retail5,675 jobs · $37,065Hotels & restaurants4,049 jobs · $25,397Manufacturing1,758 jobs · $66,346Construction1,708 jobs · $68,764Transportation & warehousing1,483 jobs · $51,968
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Jefferson County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023Jefferson 4.4%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Orleans

Orleans questions

Is Orleans, New York a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Orleans scores better for retirees than 29% of New York towns and quieter than 41%. 22.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.2).

How much does a house cost in Orleans?

The median owner-occupied home in Orleans is valued at $190,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $77,500, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $1,061 a month.

What is the weather like in Orleans?

July highs average 79.2°F and January lows 10.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.1 inches of precipitation a year and 107.9 inches of snow.

Does Orleans get tornadoes?

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

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Orleans's Census boundary (GEOID 3604555398). 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.