The Town Files

Ovid, New York

Town in Seneca County · population 2,847 (2020 Census)

Map: where Ovid is in New YorkOvid
Median home
$175,700
Household income
$63,594
Jan low / Jul high
17° / 80°
Snow a year
56 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
3
Median age
41.8

Ovid is a town of 2,847 people in Seneca County, New York. The median home is worth $175,700, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks better for a vacation home than 76% of New York towns.

How Ovid 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.

Ovid lifestyle rankings vs other New York townsRetirement58th pctFamilies9th pctQuiet59th pctWalkability28th pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals65th pctVibrancy33rd pctHip & trendy60th pctCollege town17th pctUpscale22nd pctVacation homes76th pctSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit36th pctDriving19th 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 Ovid is worth $175,700, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $63,594, which is more affordable than 52% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,046 a month. 73.2% of households own their home.

Ovid vs Seneca County vs typical New York townOvidSeneca CountyTypical New York townHome value$175,700$155,400$217,700Household income$63,594$68,089$80,740Monthly rent$1,046$957$1,080
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of New York towns with 500+ people.
HousingOvidTypical New York town
Median home value$175,700$217,700
Median rent$1,046$1,080
Median household income$63,594$80,740
Home value ÷ income2.8×2.8×
Homeownership73.2%79.5%
Median year built19611965
Seasonal / vacation homes18.5%—

Who lives in Ovid

PeopleOvidTypical New York town
Median age41.843.5
Age 65 and over26.1%20.4%
Under 1825.8%—
Bachelor's degree or higher24.4%30.4%
Below the poverty line22.8%9.3%
Veterans5.0%—
Born outside the U.S.2.4%—
Work from home14.1%11.1%
Average commute31.0 min26.0 min
Homes with broadband83.6%91.1%

Weather in Ovid

July highs average 79.8°F and January lows 16.6°F. About 37.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 56.2 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 131 nights at or below freezing.

Ovid monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°32° freezing31°17°Jan33°17°Feb41°24°Mar54°35°Apr67°47°May76°57°Jun80°61°Jul79°59°Aug72°52°Sep59°42°Oct47°33°Nov37°24°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.115.01.912.72.611.83.32.13.10.13.83.83.43.83.80.22.93.82.610.5
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Aurora Rsch Farm station (9.1 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ovid since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on June 21, 2007 about 6.1 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 1 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 21, 2007.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Ovid by decade01950s01960s11970s11980s01990s12000s02010s02020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 14 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 16, 2007.

Severe weather in Seneca County since 1996

Storm events in Seneca County since 1996 by typeHail36Heat3Flood4Drought4High Wind15Ice Storm8Heavy Snow38Flash Flood23
NOAA Storm Events Database, Seneca County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996).

Seneca County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
March 20, 2020BiologicalDR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3434: Covid-19
October 1, 2018FloodDR-4397: Severe Storms And Flooding
October 28, 2012HurricaneEM-3351: Hurricane Sandy
September 30, 2005HurricaneEM-3262: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation

Jobs and pay in Seneca County

Seneca County had 10,274 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $63,386 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Ovid itself the ACS puts it at 4.9%.

Largest industries in Seneca CountyRetail1,938 jobs · $37,038Manufacturing1,879 jobs · $77,486Hotels & restaurants1,356 jobs · $41,667Wholesale trade311 jobs · $70,798Construction259 jobs · $71,556Other services223 jobs · $31,332
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Seneca County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023Seneca 3.5%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Ovid

Ovid questions

Is Ovid, New York a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ovid scores better for retirees than 58% of New York towns and quieter than 59%. 26.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.8).

How much does a house cost in Ovid?

The median owner-occupied home in Ovid is valued at $175,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $63,594, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $1,046 a month.

What is the weather like in Ovid?

July highs average 79.8°F and January lows 16.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.0 inches of precipitation a year and 56.2 inches of snow.

Does Ovid get tornadoes?

3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ovid since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on June 21, 2007. The typical New York town has had 5.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Ovid's Census boundary (GEOID 3609955827). 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.