The Town FilesKirkwood, New York
Town in Broome County · population 5,481 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $157,000
- Household income
- $58,588
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 78°
- Snow a year
- 73 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 44.3
Kirkwood is a town of 5,481 people in Broome County, New York. The median home is worth $157,000, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks easier by car than 76% of New York towns.
How Kirkwood 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 Kirkwood is worth $157,000, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $58,588, which is more affordable than 55% of New York towns. Median rent is $883 a month. 71.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Kirkwood | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $157,000 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $883 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $58,588 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 71.7% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.5% | — |
Who lives in Kirkwood
| People | Kirkwood | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.3 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.3% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 22.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.3% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.2% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 7.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.3% | — |
| Work from home | 4.7% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 17.6 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.7% | 91.1% |
Weather in Kirkwood
July highs average 78.4°F and January lows 15.5°F. About 42.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 73.4 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 142 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Kirkwood since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 31, 1998 about 0.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 15, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 62 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 3, 2025.
Severe weather in Broome County since 1996
Broome County has been included in 30 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 22, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3565: Hurricane Henri |
| March 20, 2020 | Biological | DR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3434: Covid-19 |
| October 1, 2018 | Flood | DR-4397: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Broome County
Broome County had 82,881 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,392 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Kirkwood itself the ACS puts it at 3.9%.
Public schools in Kirkwood
1 public school with 277 students, about 13.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| FLOYD BELL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 277 | 13.9 |
Towns near Kirkwood
- Conklin, NY4.0 mi · 5,008 people · home $131,500
- Binghamton, NY5.7 mi · 47,969 people · home $124,800
- Dickinson, NY6.3 mi · 5,100 people · home $147,400
- Chenango Bridge, NY6.3 mi · 2,884 people · home $168,200
- Binghamton, NY6.7 mi · 4,617 people · home $222,300
- Windsor, NY6.7 mi · 5,804 people · home $182,800
- Fenton, NY7.6 mi · 6,429 people · home $143,900
- Binghamton University, NY8.7 mi · 7,261 people · home —
Kirkwood questions
Is Kirkwood, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Kirkwood scores better for retirees than 26% of New York towns and quieter than 47%. 24.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.3).
How much does a house cost in Kirkwood?
The median owner-occupied home in Kirkwood is valued at $157,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $58,588, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $883 a month.
What is the weather like in Kirkwood?
July highs average 78.4°F and January lows 15.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.0 inches of precipitation a year and 73.4 inches of snow.
Does Kirkwood get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Kirkwood since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 31, 1998. 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)