The Town FilesVails Gate, New York
Community in Orange County · population 3,368 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $310,100
- Household income
- $70,688
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 36 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 9
- Median age
- 40.0
Vails Gate is a community of 3,368 people in Orange County, New York. The median home is worth $310,100, above the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks more vibrant than 99% of New York towns, better transit than 93% of New York towns, better for first-time buyers than 92% of New York towns.
How Vails Gate 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 Vails Gate is worth $310,100, above the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 4.4 times the median household income of $70,688, which is more affordable than 18% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,616 a month. 55.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Vails Gate | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $310,100 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $1,616 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $70,688 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.4× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 55.9% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1969 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Vails Gate
| People | Vails Gate | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.0 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.6% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 17.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.6% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.6% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 6.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 22.3% | — |
| Work from home | 7.1% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 47.5 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.3% | 91.1% |
Weather in Vails Gate
July highs average 85.2°F and January lows 20.7°F. About 51.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 35.7 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 18 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 110 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Vails Gate since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 29, 1971 about 0.4 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 10 deaths and 18 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on August 27, 2020.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 31 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 9, 2011.
Severe weather in Orange County since 1996
Orange County has been included in 36 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| November 15, 2024 | Fire | FM-5547: Jennings Creek Fire |
| July 22, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4723: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| September 5, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4615: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| September 2, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3572: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| August 22, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3565: Hurricane Henri |
Jobs and pay in Orange County
Orange County had 155,524 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,619 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Vails Gate itself the ACS puts it at 2.3%.
Towns near Vails Gate
- New Windsor, NY1.3 mi · 8,882 people · home $345,200
- Firthcliffe, NY1.6 mi · 5,022 people · home $407,400
- Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY2.6 mi · 3,075 people · home $471,200
- Cornwall, NY3.1 mi · 12,884 people · home $444,800
- New Windsor, NY3.2 mi · 27,805 people · home $371,900
- Newburgh, NY3.5 mi · 28,856 people · home $247,900
- Beaver Dam Lake, NY4.0 mi · 2,609 people · home $425,200
- Balmville, NY5.0 mi · 3,197 people · home $392,200
Vails Gate questions
Is Vails Gate, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Vails Gate scores better for retirees than 5% of New York towns and quieter than 4%. 20.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.0).
How much does a house cost in Vails Gate?
The median owner-occupied home in Vails Gate is valued at $310,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $70,688, so homes cost about 4.4 times income. Median rent is $1,616 a month.
What is the weather like in Vails Gate?
July highs average 85.2°F and January lows 20.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 51.5 inches of precipitation a year and 35.7 inches of snow.
Does Vails Gate get tornadoes?
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Vails Gate since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 29, 1971. 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)