The Town FilesLenox, New York
Town in Madison County · population 8,768 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $161,600
- Household income
- $75,900
- Jan low / Jul high
- 11° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 141 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 45.1
Lenox is a town of 8,768 people in Madison County, New York. The median home is worth $161,600, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks easier by car than 74% of New York towns, better for a vacation home than 72% of New York towns, more walkable than 71% of New York towns.
How Lenox 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 Lenox is worth $161,600, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 2.1 times the median household income of $75,900, which is more affordable than 80% of New York towns. Median rent is $935 a month. 77.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lenox | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $161,600 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $935 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $75,900 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.1× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 77.2% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1955 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 5.3% | — |
Who lives in Lenox
| People | Lenox | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.1 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.9% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 19.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.8% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.4% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 8.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.3% | — |
| Work from home | 8.0% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 24.6 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.9% | 91.1% |
Weather in Lenox
July highs average 80.6°F and January lows 11.0°F. About 49.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 140.8 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 162 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lenox since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 23, 1990 about 9.0 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 0 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 16, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 34 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on August 3, 2007.
Severe weather in Madison County since 1996
Madison County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| July 12, 2013 | Flood | DR-4129: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Madison County
Madison County had 20,886 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,324 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Lenox itself the ACS puts it at 6%.
Towns near Lenox
- Canastota, NY1.9 mi · 4,556 people · home $144,800
- Oneida, NY5.1 mi · 10,329 people · home $160,100
- Sullivan, NY6.5 mi · 14,794 people · home $194,100
- Verona, NY7.3 mi · 5,974 people · home $196,700
- Chittenango, NY7.5 mi · 4,896 people · home $182,500
- Vienna, NY8.4 mi · 5,260 people · home $125,000
- Sherrill, NY8.5 mi · 3,077 people · home $227,500
- Vernon, NY11.6 mi · 8,318 people · home $202,100
Lenox questions
Is Lenox, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lenox scores better for retirees than 39% of New York towns and quieter than 55%. 21.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.1).
How much does a house cost in Lenox?
The median owner-occupied home in Lenox is valued at $161,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $75,900, so homes cost about 2.1 times income. Median rent is $935 a month.
What is the weather like in Lenox?
July highs average 80.6°F and January lows 11.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.9 inches of precipitation a year and 140.8 inches of snow.
Does Lenox get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lenox since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 23, 1990. 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)