The Town FilesLaurens, New York
Town in Otsego County · population 2,311 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $170,000
- Household income
- $72,404
- Jan low / Jul high
- 11° / 78°
- Snow a year
- 83 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 44.0
Laurens is a town of 2,311 people in Otsego County, New York. The median home is worth $170,000, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks better for retirees than 95% of New York towns, easier by car than 94% of New York towns, quieter than 73% of New York towns.
How Laurens 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 Laurens is worth $170,000, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 2.3 times the median household income of $72,404, which is more affordable than 72% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,134 a month. 83.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Laurens | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $170,000 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $1,134 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $72,404 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.3× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 83.8% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 10.9% | — |
Who lives in Laurens
| People | Laurens | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.0 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.1% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 19.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.1% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.2% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 6.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.7% | — |
| Work from home | 11.8% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 25.7 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.4% | 91.1% |
Weather in Laurens
July highs average 78.4°F and January lows 11.4°F. About 44.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 83.0 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 167 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Laurens 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 1.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 30, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 21 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 15, 2009.
Severe weather in Otsego County since 1996
Otsego County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| December 19, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4472: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| July 12, 2017 | Snowstorm | DR-4322: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Otsego County
Otsego County had 22,197 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,346 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Laurens itself the ACS puts it at 9.8%.
Towns near Laurens
- West End, NY4.3 mi · 1,864 people · home $151,100
- Oneonta, NY6.2 mi · 13,079 people · home $184,100
- New Lisbon, NY6.2 mi · 1,084 people · home $214,900
- Otego, NY6.7 mi · 2,756 people · home $195,500
- Milford, NY7.1 mi · 2,827 people · home $170,800
- Morris, NY7.4 mi · 1,735 people · home $169,100
- Oneonta, NY7.7 mi · 5,065 people · home $187,100
- Hartwick, NY9.0 mi · 547 people · home $175,000
Laurens questions
Is Laurens, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Laurens scores better for retirees than 95% of New York towns and quieter than 73%. 24.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.0).
How much does a house cost in Laurens?
The median owner-occupied home in Laurens is valued at $170,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $72,404, so homes cost about 2.3 times income. Median rent is $1,134 a month.
What is the weather like in Laurens?
July highs average 78.4°F and January lows 11.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.8 inches of precipitation a year and 83.0 inches of snow.
Does Laurens get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Laurens 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)