The Town FilesBethany, New York
Town in Genesee County · population 1,780 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $170,600
- Household income
- $75,859
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 77°
- Snow a year
- 74 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 38.8
Bethany is a town of 1,780 people in Genesee County, New York. The median home is worth $170,600, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks easier by car than 98% of New York towns, quieter than 79% of New York towns.
How Bethany 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 Bethany is worth $170,600, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $75,859, which is more affordable than 76% of New York towns. Median rent is $887 a month. 76.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bethany | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $170,600 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $887 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $75,859 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 76.8% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1962 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Bethany
| People | Bethany | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.8 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.9% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 24.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.3% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.0% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 4.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.4% | — |
| Work from home | 11.8% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 27.9 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.2% | 91.1% |
Weather in Bethany
July highs average 76.5°F and January lows 15.2°F. About 41.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 73.9 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
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bethany since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an F1, struck on September 3, 1993 about 6.2 miles from the town center and killed 2. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 0 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 15, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 9 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 31, 1985.
Severe weather in Genesee County since 1996
Genesee County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| 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 Genesee County
Genesee County had 22,999 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,701 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Bethany itself the ACS puts it at 3.9%.
Towns near Bethany
- Stafford, NY5.3 mi · 2,424 people · home $182,500
- Pavilion, NY5.9 mi · 2,290 people · home $168,700
- Pavilion, NY5.9 mi · 664 people · home $151,300
- Batavia, NY6.1 mi · 15,600 people · home $148,900
- Alexander, NY6.2 mi · 2,491 people · home $163,100
- Middlebury, NY6.6 mi · 1,339 people · home $155,400
- Alexander, NY6.8 mi · 518 people · home $169,600
- Batavia, NY7.4 mi · 6,293 people · home $191,000
Bethany questions
Is Bethany, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bethany scores better for retirees than 23% of New York towns and quieter than 79%. 15.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.8).
How much does a house cost in Bethany?
The median owner-occupied home in Bethany is valued at $170,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $75,859, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $887 a month.
What is the weather like in Bethany?
July highs average 76.5°F and January lows 15.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.8 inches of precipitation a year and 73.9 inches of snow.
Does Bethany get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bethany since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on September 3, 1993. 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)