The Town FilesKeene, New York
Town in Essex County · population 1,144 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $471,400
- Household income
- $93,542
- Jan low / Jul high
- 7° / 74°
- Snow a year
- 90 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 59.9
Keene is a town of 1,144 people in Essex County, New York. The median home is worth $471,400, above the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks quieter than 99% of New York towns, better for retirees than 96% of New York towns, better for a vacation home than 92% of New York towns.
How Keene 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 Keene is worth $471,400, above the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 5.0 times the median household income of $93,542, which is more affordable than 12% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,575 a month. 83.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Keene | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $471,400 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $1,575 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $93,542 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.0× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 83.3% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1967 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 49.5% | — |
Who lives in Keene
| People | Keene | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 59.9 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 39.3% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 3.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 55.4% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.8% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 10.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.1% | — |
| Work from home | 26.5% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 33.4 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.9% | 91.1% |
Weather in Keene
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 90.4 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
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Keene since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on July 10, 2024.
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 Keene itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Public schools in Keene
1 public school with 166 students, about 7.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| KEENE CENTRAL SCHOOL | K-12 | 166 | 7.9 |
Towns near Keene
- North Elba, NY9.9 mi · 7,480 people · home $431,600
- Lake Placid, NY12.3 mi · 2,205 people · home $400,000
- Elizabethtown, NY12.5 mi · 1,203 people · home $175,400
- Elizabethtown, NY16.3 mi · 746 people · home $188,100
- Wilmington, NY17.3 mi · 1,139 people · home $322,600
- Harrietstown, NY17.3 mi · 5,254 people · home $209,000
- Moriah, NY18.0 mi · 4,716 people · home $138,200
- Mineville, NY18.1 mi · 1,327 people · home $110,900
Keene questions
Is Keene, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Keene scores better for retirees than 96% of New York towns and quieter than 99%. 39.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 59.9).
How much does a house cost in Keene?
The median owner-occupied home in Keene is valued at $471,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $93,542, so homes cost about 5.0 times income. Median rent is $1,575 a month.
What is the weather like in Keene?
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 90.4 inches of snow.
Does Keene get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Keene in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- 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)