The Town FilesMachias, New York
Community in Cattaraugus County · population 505 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $49,600
- Household income
- $74,178
- Jan low / Jul high
- 14° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 109 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 9
- Median age
- 50.8
Machias is a community of 505 people in Cattaraugus County, New York. The median home is worth $49,600, below the typical New York town ($217,700).
How Machias 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 Machias is worth $49,600, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 0.7 times the median household income of $74,178, which is more affordable than 100% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,102 a month. 87.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Machias | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $49,600 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $1,102 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $74,178 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 0.7× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 87.1% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Machias
| People | Machias | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.8 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.6% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 15.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 6.5% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.7% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 9.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 7.9% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 14.8 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.9% | 91.1% |
Weather in Machias
July highs average 79.2°F and January lows 13.5°F. About 44.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 108.6 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 169 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Machias since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 20, 1969 about 9.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 15, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 12 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 28, 2017.
Severe weather in Cattaraugus County since 1996
Cattaraugus County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| November 20, 2022 | Winter Storm | EM-3589: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| March 20, 2020 | Biological | DR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3434: Covid-19 |
| December 22, 2014 | Snowstorm | DR-4204: Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
| July 8, 2014 | Severe Storm | DR-4180: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Cattaraugus County
Cattaraugus County had 27,671 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,047 a year. Unemployment was 4.3% in 2023; in Machias itself the ACS puts it at 3.1%.
Towns near Machias
- Lime Lake, NY1.3 mi · 836 people · home $108,200
- Machias, NY1.5 mi · 2,310 people · home $89,200
- Farmersville, NY4.6 mi · 1,073 people · home $115,800
- Yorkshire, NY4.8 mi · 3,827 people · home $112,900
- Delevan, NY5.4 mi · 1,043 people · home $116,300
- Franklinville, NY5.7 mi · 1,652 people · home $97,100
- Freedom, NY6.9 mi · 2,261 people · home $176,900
- Franklinville, NY7.6 mi · 2,802 people · home $99,300
Machias questions
Is Machias, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Machias scores better for retirees than 30% of New York towns and quieter than 69%. 16.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 50.8).
How much does a house cost in Machias?
The median owner-occupied home in Machias is valued at $49,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $74,178, so homes cost about 0.7 times income. Median rent is $1,102 a month.
What is the weather like in Machias?
July highs average 79.2°F and January lows 13.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.6 inches of precipitation a year and 108.6 inches of snow.
Does Machias get tornadoes?
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Machias since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 20, 1969. 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)