The Town FilesBrewster, New York
Village in Putnam County · population 2,508 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $398,200
- Household income
- $62,886
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 78°
- Snow a year
- 48 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 9
- Median age
- 34.2
Brewster is a village of 2,508 people in Putnam County, New York. The median home is worth $398,200, above the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks better for young professionals than 99% of New York towns, better transit than 98% of New York towns, hipper than 96% of New York towns.
How Brewster 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 Brewster is worth $398,200, above the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 6.3 times the median household income of $62,886, which is more affordable than 7% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,657 a month. 21.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Brewster | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $398,200 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $1,657 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $62,886 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.3× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 21.3% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1938 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.0% | — |
Who lives in Brewster
| People | Brewster | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.2 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.1% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 15.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.1% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.4% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 5.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 40.4% | — |
| Work from home | 5.3% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 22.5 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.0% | 91.1% |
Weather in Brewster
July highs average 77.9°F and January lows 16.0°F. About 50.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 48.1 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 137 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Brewster since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on May 15, 2018 about 6.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 15, 2018.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 22 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on September 6, 2014.
Severe weather in Putnam County since 1996
Putnam County has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 22, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4723: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| September 5, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4615: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| September 2, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3572: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| August 22, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3565: Hurricane Henri |
| October 2, 2020 | Hurricane | DR-4567: Tropical Storm Isaias |
Jobs and pay in Putnam County
Putnam County had 27,122 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $67,541 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Brewster itself the ACS puts it at 2.3%.
Public schools in Brewster
4 public schools with 2,954 students, about 10.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| BREWSTER HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 1,080 | 12.0 |
| HENRY H WELLS MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 650 | 8.3 |
| C V STARR INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL | 3-5 | 633 | 9.9 |
| JOHN F KENNEDY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | K-2 | 591 | 10.2 |
Towns near Brewster
- Southeast, NY1.2 mi · 18,058 people · home $446,900
- Carmel, NY3.6 mi · 7,538 people · home $488,300
- North Salem, NY4.3 mi · 5,243 people · home $670,600
- Lake Carmel, NY5.2 mi · 8,069 people · home $363,700
- Carmel, NY5.6 mi · 33,576 people · home $495,100
- Heritage Hills, NY5.9 mi · 4,511 people · home $524,800
- Patterson, NY6.3 mi · 11,541 people · home $409,500
- Putnam Lake, NY6.4 mi · 3,776 people · home $337,000
Brewster questions
Is Brewster, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Brewster scores better for retirees than 16% of New York towns and quieter than 9%. 13.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.2).
How much does a house cost in Brewster?
The median owner-occupied home in Brewster is valued at $398,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $62,886, so homes cost about 6.3 times income. Median rent is $1,657 a month.
What is the weather like in Brewster?
July highs average 77.9°F and January lows 16.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.4 inches of precipitation a year and 48.1 inches of snow.
Does Brewster get tornadoes?
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Brewster since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on May 15, 2018. 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)