The Town FilesLocke, New York
Town in Cayuga County · population 1,879 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $186,800
- Household income
- $69,125
- Jan low / Jul high
- 12° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 69 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 39.9
Locke is a town of 1,879 people in Cayuga County, New York. The median home is worth $186,800, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks easier by car than 89% of New York towns, quieter than 74% of New York towns.
How Locke 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 Locke is worth $186,800, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $69,125, which is more affordable than 55% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,099 a month. 76.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Locke | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $186,800 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $1,099 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $69,125 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 76.4% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.5% | — |
Who lives in Locke
| People | Locke | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.9 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.3% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 25.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.7% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.2% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 9.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 4.8% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 23.4 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 80.6% | 91.1% |
Weather in Locke
July highs average 79.3°F and January lows 11.6°F. About 39.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 68.7 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 156 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Locke since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on June 18, 2026 about 9.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 18, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 10 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 9, 2011.
Severe weather in Cayuga County since 1996
Cayuga County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 8, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4625: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Fred |
| March 20, 2020 | Biological | DR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3434: Covid-19 |
| November 14, 2017 | Flood | DR-4348: Flooding |
| October 28, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3351: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Cayuga County
Cayuga County had 24,605 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,623 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Locke itself the ACS puts it at 0.6%.
Towns near Locke
- Moravia, NY4.0 mi · 1,224 people · home $131,300
- Summerhill, NY5.0 mi · 1,108 people · home $173,800
- Moravia, NY5.7 mi · 3,323 people · home $162,800
- Groton, NY5.8 mi · 5,746 people · home $163,900
- Groton, NY5.8 mi · 2,145 people · home $156,700
- Sempronius, NY7.6 mi · 840 people · home $154,200
- Genoa, NY7.6 mi · 1,815 people · home $240,900
- Venice, NY7.8 mi · 1,236 people · home $167,200
Locke questions
Is Locke, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Locke scores better for retirees than 32% of New York towns and quieter than 74%. 16.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.9).
How much does a house cost in Locke?
The median owner-occupied home in Locke is valued at $186,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $69,125, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $1,099 a month.
What is the weather like in Locke?
July highs average 79.3°F and January lows 11.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.5 inches of precipitation a year and 68.7 inches of snow.
Does Locke get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Locke since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on June 18, 2026. 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)