The Town FilesColchester, New York
Town in Delaware County · population 1,782 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $240,500
- Household income
- $67,222
- Jan low / Jul high
- 11° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 62 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 49.2
Colchester is a town of 1,782 people in Delaware County, New York. The median home is worth $240,500, above the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks quieter than 94% of New York towns, better for a vacation home than 82% of New York towns, better transit than 77% of New York towns.
How Colchester 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 Colchester is worth $240,500, above the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 3.6 times the median household income of $67,222, which is more affordable than 32% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,155 a month. 88.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Colchester | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $240,500 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $1,155 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $67,222 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.6× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 88.0% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 41.0% | — |
Who lives in Colchester
| People | Colchester | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.2 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 26.5% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 18.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.4% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.2% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 9.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.8% | — |
| Work from home | 2.4% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 32.8 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.3% | 91.1% |
Weather in Colchester
July highs average 78.8°F and January lows 11.4°F. About 49.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 62.1 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 173 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Colchester since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 31, 1998 about 3.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 25, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 9 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 15, 2018.
Severe weather in Delaware County since 1996
Delaware County has been included in 39 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 |
| 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 |
| October 1, 2018 | Flood | DR-4397: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Delaware County
Delaware County had 14,276 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $66,992 a year. Unemployment was 4% in 2023; in Colchester itself the ACS puts it at 10%.
Towns near Colchester
- Rockland, NY10.0 mi · 3,290 people · home $155,400
- Andes, NY10.5 mi · 1,114 people · home $296,400
- Hamden, NY11.2 mi · 1,137 people · home $226,500
- Fremont, NY12.2 mi · 1,161 people · home $307,100
- Livingston Manor, NY12.5 mi · 1,053 people · home $109,500
- Walton, NY12.8 mi · 2,885 people · home $119,400
- Walton, NY12.8 mi · 5,270 people · home $151,100
- Hancock, NY13.1 mi · 2,764 people · home $161,100
Colchester questions
Is Colchester, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Colchester scores better for retirees than 38% of New York towns and quieter than 94%. 26.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 49.2).
How much does a house cost in Colchester?
The median owner-occupied home in Colchester is valued at $240,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $67,222, so homes cost about 3.6 times income. Median rent is $1,155 a month.
What is the weather like in Colchester?
July highs average 78.8°F and January lows 11.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.1 inches of precipitation a year and 62.1 inches of snow.
Does Colchester get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Colchester since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 31, 1998. 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)