The Town FilesGalen, New York
Town in Wayne County · population 4,415 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $95,400
- Household income
- $64,177
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 90 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 37.7
Galen is a town of 4,415 people in Wayne County, New York. The median home is worth $95,400, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks better for cycling than 92% of New York towns.
How Galen 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 Galen is worth $95,400, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 1.5 times the median household income of $64,177, which is more affordable than 98% of New York towns. Median rent is $864 a month. 80.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Galen | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $95,400 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $864 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $64,177 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.5× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 80.2% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1955 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.9% | — |
Who lives in Galen
| People | Galen | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.7 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.9% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 27.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.3% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.5% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 5.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.7% | — |
| Work from home | 8.1% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 22.1 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.3% | 91.1% |
Weather in Galen
July highs average 79.4°F and January lows 15.8°F. About 34.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 89.5 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 136 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Galen since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on August 21, 2011 about 4.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 21, 2011.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 14 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 21, 2010.
Severe weather in Wayne County since 1996
Wayne County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 20, 2020 | Biological | DR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3434: Covid-19 |
| November 14, 2017 | Flood | DR-4348: Flooding |
| October 28, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3351: Hurricane Sandy |
| September 30, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3262: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Wayne County
Wayne County had 28,230 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,984 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Galen itself the ACS puts it at 6.7%.
Towns near Galen
- Lyons, NY5.6 mi · 3,989 people · home $90,500
- Lyons, NY6.6 mi · 5,679 people · home $98,400
- Waterloo, NY10.2 mi · 7,378 people · home $117,500
- Arcadia, NY10.5 mi · 13,731 people · home $148,400
- Newark, NY10.9 mi · 9,017 people · home $132,600
- Waterloo, NY11.1 mi · 4,810 people · home $114,300
- Phelps, NY11.3 mi · 6,637 people · home $166,300
- Seneca Falls, NY11.4 mi · 6,809 people · home $123,700
Galen questions
Is Galen, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Galen scores better for retirees than 9% of New York towns and quieter than 35%. 16.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.7).
How much does a house cost in Galen?
The median owner-occupied home in Galen is valued at $95,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $64,177, so homes cost about 1.5 times income. Median rent is $864 a month.
What is the weather like in Galen?
July highs average 79.4°F and January lows 15.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 34.6 inches of precipitation a year and 89.5 inches of snow.
Does Galen get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Galen since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on August 21, 2011. 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)