The Town FilesColton, New York
Town in St. Lawrence County · population 1,530 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $164,300
- Household income
- $69,156
- Jan low / Jul high
- 5° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 77 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 50.5
Colton is a town of 1,530 people in St. Lawrence County, New York. The median home is worth $164,300, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks better for retirees than 88% of New York towns, better for a vacation home than 88% of New York towns, better for first-time buyers than 84% of New York towns.
How Colton 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 Colton is worth $164,300, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $69,156, which is more affordable than 67% of New York towns. Median rent is $475 a month. 91.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Colton | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $164,300 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $475 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $69,156 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 91.8% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1967 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 35.6% | — |
Who lives in Colton
| People | Colton | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.5 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 29.9% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 16.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.8% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.3% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 7.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.2% | — |
| Work from home | 11.1% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 27.6 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 77.3% | 91.1% |
Weather in Colton
July highs average 79.3°F and January lows 4.6°F. About 43.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 77.3 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 182 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Colton since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on July 29, 2006.
Severe weather in St. Lawrence County since 1996
St. Lawrence County has been included in 19 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 29, 2024 | Flood | DR-4814: Severe Storm, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| March 15, 2023 | Snowstorm | DR-4694: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| November 20, 2022 | Winter Storm | EM-3589: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| March 20, 2020 | Biological | DR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in St. Lawrence County
St. Lawrence County had 34,764 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,502 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Colton itself the ACS puts it at 0.9%.
Public schools in Colton
1 public school with 381 students, about 10.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| COLTON-PIERREPONT CENTRAL SCHOOL | PK-12 | 381 | 10.9 |
Towns near Colton
- Clifton, NY12.0 mi · 675 people · home $111,200
- Parishville, NY12.7 mi · 2,038 people · home $133,300
- Hopkinton, NY13.9 mi · 1,105 people · home $112,700
- Pierrepont, NY14.7 mi · 2,523 people · home $131,300
- Russell, NY16.3 mi · 1,872 people · home $110,400
- Waverly, NY17.2 mi · 963 people · home $106,700
- Star Lake, NY17.6 mi · 631 people · home $104,200
- Hannawa Falls, NY17.9 mi · 975 people · home $180,800
Colton questions
Is Colton, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Colton scores better for retirees than 88% of New York towns and quieter than 77%. 29.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 50.5).
How much does a house cost in Colton?
The median owner-occupied home in Colton is valued at $164,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $69,156, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $475 a month.
What is the weather like in Colton?
July highs average 79.3°F and January lows 4.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.1 inches of precipitation a year and 77.3 inches of snow.
Does Colton get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Colton in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- 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)