The Town FilesPhelps, New York
Town in Ontario County · population 6,637 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $166,300
- Household income
- $80,262
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 57 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 44.4
Phelps is a town of 6,637 people in Ontario County, New York. The median home is worth $166,300, below the typical New York town ($217,700).
How Phelps 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 Phelps is worth $166,300, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 2.1 times the median household income of $80,262, which is more affordable than 80% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,124 a month. 88.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Phelps | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $166,300 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $1,124 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $80,262 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.1× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 88.1% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1953 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.7% | — |
Who lives in Phelps
| People | Phelps | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.4 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.1% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 21.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.6% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.2% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 7.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.9% | — |
| Work from home | 13.0% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 20.9 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.6% | 91.1% |
Weather in Phelps
July highs average 79.4°F and January lows 15.8°F. About 34.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 56.6 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 136 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Phelps since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on July 7, 2025 about 2.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 7, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 18 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 21, 2013.
Severe weather in Ontario County since 1996
Ontario County has been included in 20 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 |
| 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 |
| July 8, 2014 | Severe Storm | DR-4180: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Ontario County
Ontario County had 53,913 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $64,047 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Phelps itself the ACS puts it at 3.1%.
Towns near Phelps
- Newark, NY6.3 mi · 9,017 people · home $132,600
- Geneva, NY7.2 mi · 12,812 people · home $165,500
- Waterloo, NY7.3 mi · 7,378 people · home $117,500
- Manchester, NY7.7 mi · 9,404 people · home $135,500
- Lyons, NY7.9 mi · 3,989 people · home $90,500
- Seneca, NY8.7 mi · 2,644 people · home $192,700
- Hopewell, NY8.7 mi · 3,931 people · home $171,800
- Geneva, NY8.8 mi · 3,473 people · home $232,600
Phelps questions
Is Phelps, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Phelps scores better for retirees than 22% of New York towns and quieter than 63%. 23.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.4).
How much does a house cost in Phelps?
The median owner-occupied home in Phelps is valued at $166,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $80,262, so homes cost about 2.1 times income. Median rent is $1,124 a month.
What is the weather like in Phelps?
July highs average 79.4°F and January lows 15.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 34.6 inches of precipitation a year and 56.6 inches of snow.
Does Phelps get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Phelps since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on July 7, 2025. 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)