The Town FilesElba, New York
Town in Genesee County · population 2,164 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $149,700
- Household income
- $91,875
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 74 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 33.8
Elba is a town of 2,164 people in Genesee County, New York. The median home is worth $149,700, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks easier by car than 89% of New York towns, better for cycling than 83% of New York towns.
How Elba 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 Elba is worth $149,700, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 1.6 times the median household income of $91,875, which is more affordable than 96% of New York towns. Median rent is $966 a month. 85.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Elba | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $149,700 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $966 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $91,875 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.6× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 85.2% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1954 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.5% | — |
Who lives in Elba
| People | Elba | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.8 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.5% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 25.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.3% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.2% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 5.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.9% | — |
| Work from home | 11.5% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 23.4 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.7% | 91.1% |
Weather in Elba
July highs average 80.0°F and January lows 15.8°F. About 36.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 73.9 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 131 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Elba since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an F1, struck on September 3, 1993 about 4.0 miles from the town center and killed 2. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 0 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on September 3, 1993.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 6 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 8, 2017.
Severe weather in Genesee County since 1996
Genesee County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 15, 2023 | Snowstorm | DR-4694: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| December 26, 2022 | Winter Storm | EM-3590: Severe Winter Storm |
| November 20, 2022 | Winter Storm | EM-3589: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| March 20, 2020 | Biological | DR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3434: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Genesee County
Genesee County had 22,999 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,701 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Elba itself the ACS puts it at 4.3%.
Towns near Elba
- Elba, NY1.4 mi · 558 people · home $143,300
- Oakfield, NY5.2 mi · 3,145 people · home $163,600
- Byron, NY5.3 mi · 2,302 people · home $168,000
- Oakfield, NY5.4 mi · 1,812 people · home $150,800
- Barre, NY6.3 mi · 1,843 people · home $135,900
- Batavia, NY6.6 mi · 15,600 people · home $148,900
- Batavia, NY7.2 mi · 6,293 people · home $191,000
- Clarendon, NY8.1 mi · 3,315 people · home $179,700
Elba questions
Is Elba, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Elba scores better for retirees than 17% of New York towns and quieter than 48%. 14.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.8).
How much does a house cost in Elba?
The median owner-occupied home in Elba is valued at $149,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $91,875, so homes cost about 1.6 times income. Median rent is $966 a month.
What is the weather like in Elba?
July highs average 80.0°F and January lows 15.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 36.6 inches of precipitation a year and 73.9 inches of snow.
Does Elba get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Elba since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on September 3, 1993. 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)