The Town FilesOrwell, New York
Town in Oswego County · population 1,077 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $112,500
- Household income
- $69,375
- Jan low / Jul high
- 11° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 186 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 45.9
Orwell is a town of 1,077 people in Oswego County, New York. The median home is worth $112,500, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 94% of New York towns, quieter than 91% of New York towns, better for a vacation home than 80% of New York towns.
How Orwell 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 Orwell is worth $112,500, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 1.6 times the median household income of $69,375, which is more affordable than 96% of New York towns. Median rent is $836 a month. 94.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Orwell | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $112,500 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $836 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $69,375 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.6× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 94.3% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 48.2% | — |
Who lives in Orwell
| People | Orwell | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.9 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.9% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 22.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.6% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.7% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 9.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.1% | — |
| Work from home | 10.6% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 32.7 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.4% | 91.1% |
Weather in Orwell
July highs average 78.5°F and January lows 11.0°F. About 48.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 185.9 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 158 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Orwell since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on July 10, 2024 about 5.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 24, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 3 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 18, 2017.
Severe weather in Oswego County since 1996
Oswego County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 21, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4839: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| 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 19, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4472: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Oswego County
Oswego County had 32,163 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,152 a year. Unemployment was 4.3% in 2023; in Orwell itself the ACS puts it at 5.9%.
Towns near Orwell
- Albion, NY6.4 mi · 2,009 people · home $121,200
- Lacona, NY7.9 mi · 657 people · home $131,300
- Williamstown, NY8.1 mi · 1,335 people · home $110,500
- Pulaski, NY8.6 mi · 2,186 people · home $158,100
- Sandy Creek, NY8.7 mi · 646 people · home $106,000
- Sandy Creek, NY9.7 mi · 3,813 people · home $161,800
- Richland, NY10.6 mi · 5,637 people · home $163,600
- Parish, NY12.2 mi · 2,398 people · home $134,900
Orwell questions
Is Orwell, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Orwell scores better for retirees than 6% of New York towns and quieter than 91%. 19.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.9).
How much does a house cost in Orwell?
The median owner-occupied home in Orwell is valued at $112,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $69,375, so homes cost about 1.6 times income. Median rent is $836 a month.
What is the weather like in Orwell?
July highs average 78.5°F and January lows 11.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.0 inches of precipitation a year and 185.9 inches of snow.
Does Orwell get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Orwell since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on July 10, 2024. 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)