The Town FilesHoward, New York
Town in Steuben County · population 1,389 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $128,100
- Household income
- $73,906
- Jan low / Jul high
- 12° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 62 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 49.1
Howard is a town of 1,389 people in Steuben County, New York. The median home is worth $128,100, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks better for cycling than 84% of New York towns, better for a vacation home than 78% of New York towns, quieter than 74% of New York towns.
How Howard 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 Howard is worth $128,100, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 1.7 times the median household income of $73,906, which is more affordable than 94% of New York towns. Median rent is $775 a month. 85.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Howard | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $128,100 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $775 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $73,906 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.7× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 85.3% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 21.8% | — |
Who lives in Howard
| People | Howard | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.1 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.6% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 17.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.8% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.9% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 10.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.2% | — |
| Work from home | 5.6% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 22.6 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.5% | 91.1% |
Weather in Howard
July highs average 81.0°F and January lows 12.4°F. About 38.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 62.4 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 165 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Howard since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an F1, struck on August 12, 2005 about 6.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 12, 2005.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 26 times; the largest was 2.25 inches on June 26, 2009.
Severe weather in Steuben County since 1996
Steuben County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 24, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4825: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Debby |
| October 8, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4625: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Fred |
| March 20, 2020 | Biological | DR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3434: Covid-19 |
| July 8, 2014 | Severe Storm | DR-4180: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Steuben County
Steuben County had 34,564 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $72,111 a year. Unemployment was 4% in 2023; in Howard itself the ACS puts it at 4.4%.
Towns near Howard
- Fremont, NY6.2 mi · 894 people · home $175,600
- Canisteo, NY6.6 mi · 2,176 people · home $111,000
- Avoca, NY6.8 mi · 1,990 people · home $104,700
- Avoca, NY7.0 mi · 809 people · home $84,200
- Canisteo, NY7.2 mi · 3,295 people · home $116,800
- North Hornell, NY7.5 mi · 732 people · home $161,700
- Hornell, NY7.6 mi · 8,263 people · home $94,500
- Hornellsville, NY8.3 mi · 4,034 people · home $134,800
Howard questions
Is Howard, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Howard scores better for retirees than 52% of New York towns and quieter than 74%. 24.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 49.1).
How much does a house cost in Howard?
The median owner-occupied home in Howard is valued at $128,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $73,906, so homes cost about 1.7 times income. Median rent is $775 a month.
What is the weather like in Howard?
July highs average 81.0°F and January lows 12.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.4 inches of precipitation a year and 62.4 inches of snow.
Does Howard get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Howard since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on August 12, 2005. 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)