The Town Files

De Kalb, New York

Town in St. Lawrence County · population 2,375 (2020 Census)

Map: where De Kalb is in New YorkDe Kalb
Median home
$103,600
Household income
$57,467
Jan low / Jul high
5° / 79°
Snow a year
87 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
1
Median age
41.4

De Kalb is a town of 2,375 people in St. Lawrence County, New York. The median home is worth $103,600, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks better for a vacation home than 81% of New York towns, better for families than 74% of New York towns, better for first-time buyers than 74% of New York towns.

How De Kalb 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.

De Kalb lifestyle rankings vs other New York townsRetirement14th pctFamilies74th pctQuiet51st pctWalkability16th pctFirst-time buyers74th pctYoung professionals37th pctVibrancy14th pctHip & trendy45th pctCollege town56th pctUpscale16th pctVacation homes81st pctSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransitbottomDriving29th 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 De Kalb is worth $103,600, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $57,467, which is more affordable than 91% of New York towns. Median rent is $967 a month. 87.4% of households own their home.

De Kalb vs St. Lawrence County vs typical New York townDe KalbSt. Lawrence CountyTypical New York townHome value$103,600$121,900$217,700Household income$57,467$62,850$80,740Monthly rent$967$818$1,080
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of New York towns with 500+ people.
HousingDe KalbTypical New York town
Median home value$103,600$217,700
Median rent$967$1,080
Median household income$57,467$80,740
Home value ÷ income1.8×2.8×
Homeownership87.4%79.5%
Median year built19541965
Seasonal / vacation homes2.5%—

Who lives in De Kalb

PeopleDe KalbTypical New York town
Median age41.443.5
Age 65 and over19.4%20.4%
Under 1826.9%—
Bachelor's degree or higher15.5%30.4%
Below the poverty line6.4%9.3%
Veterans8.8%—
Born outside the U.S.0.7%—
Work from home4.3%11.1%
Average commute25.4 min26.0 min
Homes with broadband81.3%91.1%

Weather in De Kalb

July highs average 79.2°F and January lows 5.1°F. About 39.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 86.8 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 166 nights at or below freezing.

De Kalb monthly temperatures and precipitation0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°32° freezing27°5°Jan29°6°Feb39°17°Mar53°31°Apr66°42°May75°53°Jun79°57°Jul78°55°Aug71°47°Sep58°36°Oct45°27°Nov33°15°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.821.92.120.92.314.13.13.93.30.13.93.83.43.84.70.63.66.43.018.8
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Gouverneur 3 Nw station (11.1 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 2 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of De Kalb since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an F1, struck on August 7, 1972 about 6.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 7, 1972.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of De Kalb by decade01950s01960s11970s01980s01990s02000s02010s02020s
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 5 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on July 14, 2026.

Severe weather in St. Lawrence County since 1996

Storm events in St. Lawrence County since 1996 by typeHail69Heat21Flood18High Wind61Heavy Snow21Strong Wind68Winter Storm238Winter Weather332
NOAA Storm Events Database, St. Lawrence County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 2 deaths recorded.

St. Lawrence County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
September 24, 2024Tropical StormDR-4825: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Debby
August 29, 2024FloodDR-4814: Severe Storm, Tornadoes, And Flooding
March 15, 2023SnowstormDR-4694: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm
November 20, 2022Winter StormEM-3589: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm
March 20, 2020BiologicalDR-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 De Kalb itself the ACS puts it at 2.3%.

Largest industries in St. Lawrence CountyHealth care & social assistan…5,356 jobs · $66,847Retail4,457 jobs · $35,104Hotels & restaurants2,629 jobs · $23,508Manufacturing2,347 jobs · $80,029Education2,019 jobs · $60,212Construction1,400 jobs · $70,832
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in St. Lawrence County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%12%2000200420082012201620202023St. Lawrence 4.4%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near De Kalb

De Kalb questions

Is De Kalb, New York a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, De Kalb scores better for retirees than 14% of New York towns and quieter than 51%. 19.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.4).

How much does a house cost in De Kalb?

The median owner-occupied home in De Kalb is valued at $103,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $57,467, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $967 a month.

What is the weather like in De Kalb?

July highs average 79.2°F and January lows 5.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.6 inches of precipitation a year and 86.8 inches of snow.

Does De Kalb get tornadoes?

1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of De Kalb since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on August 7, 1972. The typical New York town has had 5.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to De Kalb's Census boundary (GEOID 3608920038). 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.