The Town FilesBlack River, New York
Village in Jefferson County · population 1,232 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $228,200
- Household income
- $86,645
- Jan low / Jul high
- 11° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 116 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 38.3
Black River is a village of 1,232 people in Jefferson County, New York. The median home is worth $228,200, close to the typical New York town ($217,700).
How Black River 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 Black River is worth $228,200, close to the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $86,645, which is more affordable than 59% of New York towns. Median rent is $906 a month. 63.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Black River | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $228,200 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $906 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $86,645 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 63.2% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Black River
| People | Black River | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.3 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.4% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 23.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.4% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.8% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 18.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.3% | — |
| Work from home | 4.7% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 17.7 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.4% | 91.1% |
Weather in Black River
July highs average 79.8°F and January lows 10.7°F. About 44.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 116.4 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 144 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Black River since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an F0, struck on August 5, 2003 about 4.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 5, 2003.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 3 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on May 29, 2012.
Severe weather in Jefferson County since 1996
Jefferson County has been included in 21 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 |
| 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 |
| December 19, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4472: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Jefferson County
Jefferson County had 40,308 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,545 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Black River itself the ACS puts it at 19.8%.
Public schools in Black River
1 public school with 546 students, about 11.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| BLACK RIVER SCHOOL | PK-4 | 546 | 11.6 |
Towns near Black River
- Fort Drum, NY2.5 mi · 15,896 people · home —
- Calcium, NY3.4 mi · 3,573 people · home $203,400
- Rutland, NY4.6 mi · 3,038 people · home $201,600
- Le Ray, NY4.8 mi · 25,574 people · home $185,600
- Great Bend, NY4.8 mi · 807 people · home $172,600
- Champion, NY5.1 mi · 4,562 people · home $198,900
- Evans Mills, NY5.4 mi · 678 people · home $180,500
- Watertown, NY6.2 mi · 24,685 people · home $158,600
Black River questions
Is Black River, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Black River scores better for retirees than 37% of New York towns and quieter than 25%. 13.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.3).
How much does a house cost in Black River?
The median owner-occupied home in Black River is valued at $228,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $86,645, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $906 a month.
What is the weather like in Black River?
July highs average 79.8°F and January lows 10.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.4 inches of precipitation a year and 116.4 inches of snow.
Does Black River get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Black River since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on August 5, 2003. 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)