The Town FilesEsperance, New York
Town in Schoharie County · population 1,806 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $196,200
- Household income
- $76,058
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 54 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 51.9
Esperance is a town of 1,806 people in Schoharie County, New York. The median home is worth $196,200, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks easier by car than 78% of New York towns, better for retirees than 73% of New York towns.
How Esperance 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 Esperance is worth $196,200, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $76,058, which is more affordable than 59% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,075 a month. 77.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Esperance | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $196,200 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $1,075 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $76,058 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 77.5% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1957 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.8% | — |
Who lives in Esperance
| People | Esperance | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 51.9 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.1% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 14.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.1% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.8% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 5.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.1% | — |
| Work from home | 10.2% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 27.1 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.1% | 91.1% |
Weather in Esperance
July highs average 83.8°F and January lows 13.0°F. About 42.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 53.5 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 14 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 144 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Esperance since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on July 10, 1989 about 7.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 22, 2014.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 19 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on May 22, 2014.
Severe weather in Schoharie County since 1996
Schoharie County has been included in 29 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 |
| July 12, 2017 | Snowstorm | DR-4322: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| October 28, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3351: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Schoharie County
Schoharie County had 8,062 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,611 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in Esperance itself the ACS puts it at 6.5%.
Towns near Esperance
- Central Bridge, NY3.3 mi · 740 people · home $196,400
- Schoharie, NY4.9 mi · 3,107 people · home $235,200
- Charleston, NY5.4 mi · 1,355 people · home $184,200
- Schoharie, NY6.0 mi · 916 people · home $220,900
- Carlisle, NY6.4 mi · 1,768 people · home $199,600
- Duanesburg, NY7.4 mi · 5,863 people · home $295,100
- Wright, NY7.7 mi · 1,516 people · home $242,000
- Cobleskill, NY7.9 mi · 6,086 people · home $186,300
Esperance questions
Is Esperance, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Esperance scores better for retirees than 73% of New York towns and quieter than 67%. 22.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 51.9).
How much does a house cost in Esperance?
The median owner-occupied home in Esperance is valued at $196,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $76,058, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $1,075 a month.
What is the weather like in Esperance?
July highs average 83.8°F and January lows 13.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.5 inches of precipitation a year and 53.5 inches of snow.
Does Esperance get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Esperance since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on July 10, 1989. 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)