The Town FilesUlysses, New York
Town in Tompkins County · population 4,890 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $274,500
- Household income
- $71,400
- Jan low / Jul high
- 14° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 62 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 48.1
Ulysses is a town of 4,890 people in Tompkins County, New York. The median home is worth $274,500, above the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks better for retirees than 97% of New York towns, hipper than 87% of New York towns, more of a college town than 81% of New York towns.
How Ulysses 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 Ulysses is worth $274,500, above the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 3.8 times the median household income of $71,400, which is more affordable than 29% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,274 a month. 67.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ulysses | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $274,500 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $1,274 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $71,400 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.8× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 67.5% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1959 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 8.2% | — |
Who lives in Ulysses
| People | Ulysses | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.1 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.9% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 14.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 52.5% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.6% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 3.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.1% | — |
| Work from home | 15.3% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 25.9 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.5% | 91.1% |
Weather in Ulysses
July highs average 79.1°F and January lows 14.4°F. About 38.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 61.8 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 156 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ulysses since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an F1, struck on August 28, 1988 about 4.2 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 1 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on August 28, 1988.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 33 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 3, 2012.
Severe weather in Tompkins County since 1996
Tompkins County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 20, 2020 | Biological | DR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3434: Covid-19 |
| July 12, 2017 | Snowstorm | DR-4322: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| October 28, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3351: Hurricane Sandy |
| September 13, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-4031: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Lee |
Jobs and pay in Tompkins County
Tompkins County had 48,051 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $69,770 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Ulysses itself the ACS puts it at 8.1%.
Towns near Ulysses
- Enfield, NY4.9 mi · 3,362 people · home $224,000
- Lansing, NY5.7 mi · 11,565 people · home $346,400
- Lansing, NY6.8 mi · 3,648 people · home $516,900
- Cayuga Heights, NY7.3 mi · 4,114 people · home $433,000
- Ithaca, NY7.5 mi · 32,108 people · home $342,700
- Ithaca, NY7.9 mi · 22,283 people · home $368,700
- Northeast Ithaca, NY8.4 mi · 2,701 people · home $402,000
- Hector, NY9.3 mi · 4,895 people · home $218,700
Ulysses questions
Is Ulysses, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ulysses scores better for retirees than 97% of New York towns and quieter than 44%. 22.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.1).
How much does a house cost in Ulysses?
The median owner-occupied home in Ulysses is valued at $274,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $71,400, so homes cost about 3.8 times income. Median rent is $1,274 a month.
What is the weather like in Ulysses?
July highs average 79.1°F and January lows 14.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.9 inches of precipitation a year and 61.8 inches of snow.
Does Ulysses get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ulysses since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on August 28, 1988. 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)