The Town Files

Colden, New York

Town in Erie County · population 3,121 (2020 Census)

Map: where Colden is in New YorkColden
Median home
$302,600
Household income
$97,935
Jan low / Jul high
16° / 77°
Snow a year
168 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
9
Median age
49.3

Colden is a town of 3,121 people in Erie County, New York. The median home is worth $302,600, above the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks easier by car than 95% of New York towns, better for families than 93% of New York towns, more of a college town than 78% of New York towns.

Colden in our rankings:

How Colden 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.

Colden lifestyle rankings vs other New York townsRetirement72nd pctFamilies93rd pctQuiet63rd pctWalkability35th pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals48th pctVibrancy20th pctHip & trendy18th pctCollege town78th pctUpscale71st pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit41st pctDriving95th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Colden is worth $302,600, above the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $97,935, which is more affordable than 43% of New York towns. Median rent is $943 a month. 88.8% of households own their home.

Colden vs Erie County vs typical New York townColdenErie CountyTypical New York townHome value$302,600$233,800$217,700Household income$97,935$72,839$80,740Monthly rent$943$1,090$1,080
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of New York towns with 500+ people.
HousingColdenTypical New York town
Median home value$302,600$217,700
Median rent$943$1,080
Median household income$97,935$80,740
Home value ÷ income3.1×2.8×
Homeownership88.8%79.5%
Median year built19691965
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in Colden

PeopleColdenTypical New York town
Median age49.343.5
Age 65 and over23.3%20.4%
Under 1819.1%—
Bachelor's degree or higher41.0%30.4%
Below the poverty line10.0%9.3%
Veterans6.6%—
Born outside the U.S.3.0%—
Work from home15.0%11.1%
Average commute26.4 min26.0 min
Homes with broadband87.4%91.1%

Weather in Colden

July highs average 77.3°F and January lows 15.8°F. About 53.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 167.6 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 144 nights at or below freezing.

Colden monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°32° freezing30°16°Jan31°16°Feb39°23°Mar53°34°Apr65°46°May73°55°Jun77°59°Jul76°58°Aug70°51°Sep57°41°Oct45°32°Nov35°23°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue4.850.53.937.23.618.64.58.24.10.14.54.44.04.65.40.44.814.04.538.6
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Colden 1W station (3.3 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Colden since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on August 19, 1970 about 9.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 10, 2024.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Colden by decade01950s21960s21970s01980s01990s12000s22010s22020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 16 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 18, 2017.

Severe weather in Erie County since 1996

Storm events in Erie County since 1996 by typeHail99Flood81Seiche21High Wind158Lightning16Heavy Snow97Flash Flood96Frost/Freeze54
NOAA Storm Events Database, Erie County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 57 deaths recorded.

Erie County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, other, hurricane.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
March 15, 2023SnowstormDR-4694: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm
December 26, 2022Winter StormEM-3590: Severe Winter Storm
November 20, 2022Winter StormEM-3589: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm
March 20, 2020BiologicalDR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3434: Covid-19

Jobs and pay in Erie County

Erie County had 466,138 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $66,971 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Colden itself the ACS puts it at 0.8%.

Largest industries in Erie CountyHealth care & social assistan…68,872 jobs · $62,866Retail47,891 jobs · $39,303Manufacturing44,526 jobs · $80,771Hotels & restaurants38,924 jobs · $26,680Administrative & support27,133 jobs · $54,244Professional & technical serv…24,595 jobs · $87,001
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Erie County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023Erie 3.8%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Colden

1 public school with 200 students, about 10.0 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
COLDEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLPK-520010.0

Towns near Colden

Colden questions

Is Colden, New York a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Colden scores better for retirees than 72% of New York towns and quieter than 63%. 23.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 49.3).

How much does a house cost in Colden?

The median owner-occupied home in Colden is valued at $302,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $97,935, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $943 a month.

What is the weather like in Colden?

July highs average 77.3°F and January lows 15.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 53.3 inches of precipitation a year and 167.6 inches of snow.

Does Colden get tornadoes?

9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Colden since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on August 19, 1970. The typical New York town has had 5.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Colden's Census boundary (GEOID 3602916870). Comparisons use the median of New York towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.