The Town FilesButternuts, New York
Town in Otsego County · population 1,665 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $209,100
- Household income
- $90,313
- Jan low / Jul high
- 11° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 79 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 48.1
Butternuts is a town of 1,665 people in Otsego County, New York. The median home is worth $209,100, close to the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks quieter than 78% of New York towns, better for retirees than 71% of New York towns, hipper than 71% of New York towns.
How Butternuts 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 Butternuts is worth $209,100, close to the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 2.3 times the median household income of $90,313, which is more affordable than 72% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,159 a month. 94.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Butternuts | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $209,100 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $1,159 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $90,313 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.3× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 94.5% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1967 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 14.1% | — |
Who lives in Butternuts
| People | Butternuts | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.1 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 27.3% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 15.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.1% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.5% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 10.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.0% | — |
| Work from home | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 30.7 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.8% | 91.1% |
Weather in Butternuts
July highs average 81.6°F and January lows 11.4°F. About 45.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 79.4 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 162 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Butternuts since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on June 30, 2026 about 7.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 30, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 19 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on September 11, 2013.
Severe weather in Otsego County since 1996
Otsego County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 22, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3565: Hurricane Henri |
| 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 |
| July 12, 2017 | Snowstorm | DR-4322: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Otsego County
Otsego County had 22,197 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,346 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Butternuts itself the ACS puts it at 4.1%.
Towns near Butternuts
- Morris, NY5.8 mi · 1,735 people · home $169,100
- Otego, NY6.6 mi · 2,756 people · home $195,500
- Unadilla, NY7.0 mi · 4,116 people · home $126,100
- Guilford, NY8.1 mi · 2,741 people · home $121,400
- Norwich, NY8.9 mi · 3,599 people · home $127,100
- Otego, NY8.9 mi · 875 people · home $186,100
- New Berlin, NY9.1 mi · 2,525 people · home $144,500
- Unadilla, NY9.8 mi · 1,065 people · home $110,800
Butternuts questions
Is Butternuts, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Butternuts scores better for retirees than 71% of New York towns and quieter than 78%. 27.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.1).
How much does a house cost in Butternuts?
The median owner-occupied home in Butternuts is valued at $209,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $90,313, so homes cost about 2.3 times income. Median rent is $1,159 a month.
What is the weather like in Butternuts?
July highs average 81.6°F and January lows 11.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.3 inches of precipitation a year and 79.4 inches of snow.
Does Butternuts get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Butternuts since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on June 30, 2026. 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)