The Town FilesCato, New York
Town in Cayuga County · population 2,445 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $167,600
- Household income
- $79,760
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 107 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 48.7
Cato is a town of 2,445 people in Cayuga County, New York. The median home is worth $167,600, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks quieter than 95% of New York towns, better for a vacation home than 84% of New York towns.
How Cato 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 Cato is worth $167,600, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 2.1 times the median household income of $79,760, which is more affordable than 80% of New York towns. Median rent is $942 a month. 87.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cato | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $167,600 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $942 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $79,760 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.1× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 87.1% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 12.7% | — |
Who lives in Cato
| People | Cato | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.7 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.0% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 16.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.9% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.8% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 5.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.6% | — |
| Work from home | 11.2% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 22.8 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.9% | 91.1% |
Weather in Cato
July highs average 81.1°F and January lows 15.4°F. About 44.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 106.6 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 143 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cato since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 2, 1983 about 4.8 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 0 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on August 21, 2011.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 25 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on June 16, 2022.
Severe weather in Cayuga County since 1996
Cayuga County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| November 14, 2017 | Flood | DR-4348: Flooding |
| October 28, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3351: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Cayuga County
Cayuga County had 24,605 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,623 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Cato itself the ACS puts it at 5%.
Towns near Cato
- Cato, NY3.5 mi · 517 people · home $163,300
- Jordan, NY4.9 mi · 1,192 people · home $157,500
- Weedsport, NY5.2 mi · 1,788 people · home $166,800
- Brutus, NY5.2 mi · 4,314 people · home $154,900
- Conquest, NY6.1 mi · 1,791 people · home $150,000
- Ira, NY6.2 mi · 2,142 people · home $158,800
- Elbridge, NY6.8 mi · 5,476 people · home $152,400
- Port Byron, NY7.3 mi · 1,101 people · home $100,500
Cato questions
Is Cato, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cato scores better for retirees than 36% of New York towns and quieter than 95%. 22.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.7).
How much does a house cost in Cato?
The median owner-occupied home in Cato is valued at $167,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $79,760, so homes cost about 2.1 times income. Median rent is $942 a month.
What is the weather like in Cato?
July highs average 81.1°F and January lows 15.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.3 inches of precipitation a year and 106.6 inches of snow.
Does Cato get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cato since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 2, 1983. 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)