The Town FilesWolcott, New York
Town in Wayne County · population 4,002 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $87,500
- Household income
- $54,569
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 124 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 42.1
Wolcott is a town of 4,002 people in Wayne County, New York. The median home is worth $87,500, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks easier by car than 84% of New York towns, better for first-time buyers than 82% of New York towns, better for a vacation home than 76% of New York towns.
How Wolcott 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 Wolcott is worth $87,500, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 1.6 times the median household income of $54,569, which is more affordable than 96% of New York towns. Median rent is $667 a month. 77.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wolcott | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $87,500 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $667 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $54,569 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.6× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 77.2% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1955 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 14.7% | — |
Who lives in Wolcott
| People | Wolcott | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.1 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.3% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 22.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.1% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 20.9% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 8.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.9% | — |
| Work from home | 3.2% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 31.2 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 79.6% | 91.1% |
Weather in Wolcott
July highs average 79.2°F and January lows 15.9°F. About 39.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 124.1 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 132 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Wolcott since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an EFU, struck on July 10, 2024 about 2.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 10, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 19 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on June 16, 2022.
Severe weather in Wayne County since 1996
Wayne County has been included in 17 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 |
| November 14, 2017 | Flood | DR-4348: Flooding |
| October 28, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3351: Hurricane Sandy |
| September 30, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3262: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Wayne County
Wayne County had 28,230 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,984 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Wolcott itself the ACS puts it at 4%.
Towns near Wolcott
- Sterling, NY6.1 mi · 3,221 people · home $141,200
- Hannibal, NY11.1 mi · 4,525 people · home $137,100
- Oswego, NY13.8 mi · 7,914 people · home $175,100
- Sodus, NY14.8 mi · 8,028 people · home $152,500
- Galen, NY15.5 mi · 4,415 people · home $95,400
- Granby, NY16.3 mi · 6,520 people · home $130,000
- SUNY Oswego, NY16.9 mi · 3,451 people · home —
- Lyons, NY17.3 mi · 5,679 people · home $98,400
Wolcott questions
Is Wolcott, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wolcott scores better for retirees than 29% of New York towns and quieter than 47%. 20.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.1).
How much does a house cost in Wolcott?
The median owner-occupied home in Wolcott is valued at $87,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $54,569, so homes cost about 1.6 times income. Median rent is $667 a month.
What is the weather like in Wolcott?
July highs average 79.2°F and January lows 15.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.9 inches of precipitation a year and 124.1 inches of snow.
Does Wolcott get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Wolcott since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EFU on July 10, 2024. 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)