The Town FilesCooperstown, New York
Village in Otsego County · population 1,794 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $380,900
- Household income
- $76,000
- Jan low / Jul high
- 14° / 73°
- Snow a year
- 86 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 43.5
Cooperstown is a village of 1,794 people in Otsego County, New York. The median home is worth $380,900, above the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks better for retirees than 99% of New York towns, better for a vacation home than 97% of New York towns, hipper than 92% of New York towns.
How Cooperstown 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 Cooperstown is worth $380,900, above the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 5.0 times the median household income of $76,000, which is more affordable than 12% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,223 a month. 59.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cooperstown | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $380,900 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $1,223 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $76,000 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.0× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 59.4% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1938 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 6.8% | — |
Who lives in Cooperstown
| People | Cooperstown | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.5 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.7% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 12.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 61.1% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.6% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 2.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 14.4% | — |
| Work from home | 14.9% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 11.6 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.1% | 91.1% |
Weather in Cooperstown
July highs average 72.6°F and January lows 13.6°F. About 47.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 85.5 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 155 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cooperstown 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 8.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 31, 2002.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 16 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 14, 2023.
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 Cooperstown itself the ACS puts it at 5.8%.
Public schools in Cooperstown
2 public schools with 794 students, about 12.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| COOPERSTOWN JUNIOR/SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | 7-12 | 398 | 13.3 |
| COOPERSTOWN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | K-11 | 396 | 12.0 |
Towns near Cooperstown
- Middlefield, NY3.8 mi · 1,882 people · home $316,200
- Otsego, NY4.5 mi · 3,641 people · home $352,600
- Hartwick, NY5.7 mi · 1,952 people · home $173,500
- Westford, NY6.5 mi · 804 people · home $175,000
- Hartwick, NY7.2 mi · 547 people · home $175,000
- Springfield, NY9.8 mi · 1,346 people · home $239,100
- Exeter, NY10.2 mi · 845 people · home $243,000
- Maryland, NY10.7 mi · 1,760 people · home $159,700
Cooperstown questions
Is Cooperstown, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cooperstown scores better for retirees than 99% of New York towns and quieter than 57%. 24.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.5).
How much does a house cost in Cooperstown?
The median owner-occupied home in Cooperstown is valued at $380,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $76,000, so homes cost about 5.0 times income. Median rent is $1,223 a month.
What is the weather like in Cooperstown?
July highs average 72.6°F and January lows 13.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.6 inches of precipitation a year and 85.5 inches of snow.
Does Cooperstown get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cooperstown 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)