The Town FilesTheresa, New York
Town in Jefferson County · population 2,648 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $173,800
- Household income
- $69,500
- Jan low / Jul high
- 5° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 100 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 37.3
Theresa is a town of 2,648 people in Jefferson County, New York. The median home is worth $173,800, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks better for a vacation home than 83% of New York towns, easier by car than 72% of New York towns, more of a college town than 71% of New York towns.
How Theresa 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 Theresa is worth $173,800, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $69,500, which is more affordable than 63% of New York towns. Median rent is $964 a month. 79.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Theresa | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $173,800 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $964 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $69,500 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 79.8% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 28.6% | — |
Who lives in Theresa
| People | Theresa | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.3 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.7% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 23.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.6% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.1% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 12.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.5% | — |
| Work from home | 10.2% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 26.3 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.5% | 91.1% |
Weather in Theresa
July highs average 79.2°F and January lows 5.1°F. About 39.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 100.4 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 166 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Theresa since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on March 29, 2020.
Severe weather in Jefferson County since 1996
Jefferson County has been included in 21 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 |
| November 20, 2022 | Winter Storm | EM-3589: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 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 |
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 Theresa itself the ACS puts it at 3.2%.
Towns near Theresa
- Alexandria, NY6.5 mi · 3,741 people · home $172,500
- Orleans, NY9.3 mi · 2,788 people · home $190,300
- Le Ray, NY12.7 mi · 25,574 people · home $185,600
- Fort Drum, NY15.0 mi · 15,896 people · home —
- Gouverneur, NY15.5 mi · 6,551 people · home $129,300
- Clayton, NY15.6 mi · 4,770 people · home $226,800
- Calcium, NY15.7 mi · 3,573 people · home $203,400
- Pamelia, NY15.7 mi · 3,343 people · home $167,900
Theresa questions
Is Theresa, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Theresa scores better for retirees than 16% of New York towns and quieter than 45%. 14.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.3).
How much does a house cost in Theresa?
The median owner-occupied home in Theresa is valued at $173,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $69,500, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $964 a month.
What is the weather like in Theresa?
July highs average 79.2°F and January lows 5.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.6 inches of precipitation a year and 100.4 inches of snow.
Does Theresa get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Theresa in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- 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)