The Town FilesOtsego, New York
Town in Otsego County · population 3,641 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $352,600
- Household income
- $72,891
- Jan low / Jul high
- 14° / 73°
- Snow a year
- 86 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 52.1
Otsego is a town of 3,641 people in Otsego County, New York. The median home is worth $352,600, above the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks better for retirees than 99% of New York towns, better for a vacation home than 97% of New York towns, hipper than 96% of New York towns.
How Otsego 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 Otsego is worth $352,600, above the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 4.8 times the median household income of $72,891, which is more affordable than 13% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,205 a month. 70.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Otsego | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $352,600 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $1,205 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $72,891 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.8× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 70.4% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1938 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 20.1% | — |
Who lives in Otsego
| People | Otsego | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.1 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 31.8% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 12.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 53.8% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.9% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 6.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 9.3% | — |
| Work from home | 19.9% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 25.7 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.5% | 91.1% |
Weather in Otsego
July highs average 72.6°F and January lows 13.6°F. About 47.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 85.5 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 155 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Otsego since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 16, 1976 about 5.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 31, 2002.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 22 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 14, 2023.
Severe weather in Otsego County since 1996
Otsego County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| December 19, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4472: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| July 12, 2017 | Snowstorm | DR-4322: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Otsego County
Otsego County had 22,197 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,346 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Otsego itself the ACS puts it at 5.6%.
Towns near Otsego
- Milford, NY14.7 mi · 2,827 people · home $170,800
- German Flatts, NY15.5 mi · 12,263 people · home $119,800
- Ilion, NY17.8 mi · 7,646 people · home $108,700
- Minden, NY18.0 mi · 4,166 people · home $90,500
- Herkimer, NY18.6 mi · 7,234 people · home $133,200
- Canajoharie, NY19.1 mi · 3,660 people · home $137,500
- Little Falls, NY20.5 mi · 4,605 people · home $105,700
- Herkimer, NY20.9 mi · 9,566 people · home $136,300
Otsego questions
Is Otsego, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Otsego scores better for retirees than 99% of New York towns and quieter than 54%. 31.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 52.1).
How much does a house cost in Otsego?
The median owner-occupied home in Otsego is valued at $352,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $72,891, so homes cost about 4.8 times income. Median rent is $1,205 a month.
What is the weather like in Otsego?
July highs average 72.6°F and January lows 13.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.6 inches of precipitation a year and 85.5 inches of snow.
Does Otsego get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Otsego since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 16, 1976. 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)