The Town FilesAlden, New York
Village in Erie County · population 2,604 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $213,500
- Household income
- $70,541
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 107 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 41.4
Alden is a village of 2,604 people in Erie County, New York. The median home is worth $213,500, close to the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks easier by car than 86% of New York towns, more vibrant than 82% of New York towns, more walkable than 75% of New York towns.
How Alden 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 Alden is worth $213,500, close to the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $70,541, which is more affordable than 45% of New York towns. Median rent is $945 a month. 65.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Alden | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $213,500 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $945 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $70,541 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 65.7% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1968 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Alden
| People | Alden | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.4 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.2% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.0% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.6% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 9.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.7% | — |
| Work from home | 5.9% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 29.2 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.9% | 91.1% |
Weather in Alden
July highs average 78.8°F and January lows 15.4°F. About 44.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 106.7 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 151 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Alden since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on August 23, 1971 about 8.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 9, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 12 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 18, 1997.
Severe weather in Erie County since 1996
Erie County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, other, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 15, 2023 | Snowstorm | DR-4694: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| December 26, 2022 | Winter Storm | EM-3590: Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Erie County
Erie County had 466,138 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $66,971 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Alden itself the ACS puts it at 5.7%.
Public schools in Alden
3 public schools with 1,190 students, about 12.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALDEN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 496 | 14.6 |
| ALDEN MIDDLE SCHOOL | 2-8 | 356 | 11.1 |
| ALDEN INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL | 3-5 | 338 | 11.3 |
Towns near Alden
- Alden, NY1.4 mi · 9,706 people · home $244,100
- Marilla, NY5.4 mi · 5,189 people · home $286,400
- Darien, NY5.7 mi · 3,010 people · home $211,400
- Lancaster, NY7.0 mi · 45,106 people · home $277,600
- Clarence, NY7.4 mi · 2,733 people · home $338,800
- Bennington, NY7.8 mi · 3,235 people · home $244,400
- Akron, NY8.2 mi · 2,888 people · home $207,000
- Newstead, NY8.3 mi · 8,689 people · home $235,500
Alden questions
Is Alden, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Alden scores better for retirees than 66% of New York towns and quieter than 41%. 17.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.4).
How much does a house cost in Alden?
The median owner-occupied home in Alden is valued at $213,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $70,541, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $945 a month.
What is the weather like in Alden?
July highs average 78.8°F and January lows 15.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.1 inches of precipitation a year and 106.7 inches of snow.
Does Alden get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Alden since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on August 23, 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)