The Town FilesAlfred, New York
Town in Allegany County · population 5,157 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $146,600
- Household income
- $42,337
- Jan low / Jul high
- 12° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 82 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 20.5
Alfred is a town of 5,157 people in Allegany County, New York. The median home is worth $146,600, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 99% of New York towns, better for young professionals than 99% of New York towns, better for cycling than 92% of New York towns.
How Alfred 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 Alfred is worth $146,600, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $42,337, which is more affordable than 35% of New York towns. Median rent is $861 a month. 62.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Alfred | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $146,600 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $861 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $42,337 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 62.4% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1961 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.2% | — |
Who lives in Alfred
| People | Alfred | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 20.5 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 7.3% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 10.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 58.0% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 36.7% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 1.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.4% | — |
| Work from home | 16.3% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 13.4 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.3% | 91.1% |
Weather in Alfred
July highs average 80.5°F and January lows 11.8°F. About 37.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 82.2 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 170 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Alfred since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on July 20, 2017 about 9.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 20, 2017.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 9 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 31, 1998.
Severe weather in Allegany County since 1996
Allegany County has been included in 25 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 |
| October 8, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4625: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Fred |
| March 20, 2020 | Biological | DR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3434: Covid-19 |
| July 8, 2014 | Severe Storm | DR-4180: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Allegany County
Allegany County had 13,565 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,004 a year. Unemployment was 4.3% in 2023; in Alfred itself the ACS puts it at 16.1%.
Towns near Alfred
- Alfred, NY1.5 mi · 4,026 people · home $170,800
- Hornellsville, NY9.2 mi · 4,034 people · home $134,800
- Hornell, NY9.6 mi · 8,263 people · home $94,500
- Wellsville, NY10.4 mi · 7,064 people · home $94,600
- Wellsville, NY11.0 mi · 4,587 people · home $91,200
- Canisteo, NY13.7 mi · 3,295 people · home $116,800
- Wayland, NY22.5 mi · 3,732 people · home $105,400
- Cuba, NY23.0 mi · 3,126 people · home $113,000
Alfred questions
Is Alfred, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Alfred scores better for retirees than 31% of New York towns and quieter than 30%. 7.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 20.5).
How much does a house cost in Alfred?
The median owner-occupied home in Alfred is valued at $146,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $42,337, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $861 a month.
What is the weather like in Alfred?
July highs average 80.5°F and January lows 11.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.7 inches of precipitation a year and 82.2 inches of snow.
Does Alfred get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Alfred since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on July 20, 2017. 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)