The Town FilesJay, New York
Town in Essex County · population 2,486 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $196,900
- Household income
- $72,380
- Jan low / Jul high
- 7° / 74°
- Snow a year
- 80 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 48.8
Jay is a town of 2,486 people in Essex County, New York. The median home is worth $196,900, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks quieter than 96% of New York towns, better for a vacation home than 93% of New York towns, better for families than 78% of New York towns.
How Jay 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 Jay is worth $196,900, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $72,380, which is more affordable than 55% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,272 a month. 88.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Jay | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $196,900 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $1,272 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $72,380 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 88.4% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 33.1% | — |
Who lives in Jay
| People | Jay | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.8 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 25.3% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 16.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.4% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.7% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 10.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.8% | — |
| Work from home | 8.8% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 28.4 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.0% | 91.1% |
Weather in Jay
July highs average 74.2°F and January lows 6.5°F. About 43.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 79.8 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 184 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Jay since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an F1, struck on October 16, 1958 about 1.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 16, 1958.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on July 9, 2007.
Severe weather in Essex County since 1996
Essex County has been included in 25 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 |
| August 29, 2024 | Flood | DR-4814: Severe Storm, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| July 22, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4723: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| March 20, 2020 | Biological | DR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3434: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Essex County
Essex County had 14,768 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,601 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Jay itself the ACS puts it at 3%.
Towns near Jay
- Au Sable Forks, NY5.5 mi · 509 people · home $130,800
- Wilmington, NY6.0 mi · 843 people · home $307,000
- Lewis, NY7.0 mi · 1,293 people · home $181,000
- Wilmington, NY9.7 mi · 1,139 people · home $322,600
- Elizabethtown, NY11.7 mi · 746 people · home $188,100
- Black Brook, NY11.8 mi · 1,453 people · home $202,200
- Au Sable, NY11.8 mi · 3,183 people · home $133,000
- Elizabethtown, NY13.1 mi · 1,203 people · home $175,400
Jay questions
Is Jay, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Jay scores better for retirees than 75% of New York towns and quieter than 96%. 25.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.8).
How much does a house cost in Jay?
The median owner-occupied home in Jay is valued at $196,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $72,380, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $1,272 a month.
What is the weather like in Jay?
July highs average 74.2°F and January lows 6.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.8 inches of precipitation a year and 79.8 inches of snow.
Does Jay get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Jay since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on October 16, 1958. 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)