The Town FilesGreat Valley, New York
Town in Cattaraugus County · population 1,991 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $114,900
- Household income
- $68,272
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 96 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 51.1
Great Valley is a town of 1,991 people in Cattaraugus County, New York. The median home is worth $114,900, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks quieter than 76% of New York towns, easier by car than 76% of New York towns, better for first-time buyers than 74% of New York towns.
How Great Valley 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 Great Valley is worth $114,900, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 1.7 times the median household income of $68,272, which is more affordable than 94% of New York towns. Median rent is $779 a month. 97.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Great Valley | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $114,900 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $779 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $68,272 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.7× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 97.5% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1988 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 33.2% | — |
Who lives in Great Valley
| People | Great Valley | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 51.1 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 29.1% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 17.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.0% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.4% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 11.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.6% | — |
| Work from home | 4.1% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 17.3 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 78.4% | 91.1% |
Weather in Great Valley
July highs average 81.8°F and January lows 13.1°F. About 47.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 95.7 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 180 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Great Valley since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 20, 1969 about 9.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 9, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 11 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 23, 2010.
Severe weather in Cattaraugus County since 1996
Cattaraugus County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| December 22, 2014 | Snowstorm | DR-4204: Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
| July 8, 2014 | Severe Storm | DR-4180: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Cattaraugus County
Cattaraugus County had 27,671 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,047 a year. Unemployment was 4.3% in 2023; in Great Valley itself the ACS puts it at 4.7%.
Towns near Great Valley
- Salamanca, NY5.2 mi · 5,929 people · home $80,900
- Little Valley, NY6.5 mi · 1,675 people · home $118,000
- Ellicottville, NY7.4 mi · 1,315 people · home $248,200
- Humphrey, NY7.5 mi · 703 people · home $158,200
- Little Valley, NY8.9 mi · 1,058 people · home $101,200
- Allegany, NY9.3 mi · 7,493 people · home $169,400
- Mansfield, NY9.8 mi · 843 people · home $200,000
- Carrollton, NY9.9 mi · 1,207 people · home $96,200
Great Valley questions
Is Great Valley, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Great Valley scores better for retirees than 57% of New York towns and quieter than 76%. 29.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 51.1).
How much does a house cost in Great Valley?
The median owner-occupied home in Great Valley is valued at $114,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $68,272, so homes cost about 1.7 times income. Median rent is $779 a month.
What is the weather like in Great Valley?
July highs average 81.8°F and January lows 13.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.2 inches of precipitation a year and 95.7 inches of snow.
Does Great Valley get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Great Valley since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 20, 1969. 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)