The Town FilesOtego, New York
Town in Otsego County · population 2,756 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $195,500
- Household income
- $77,553
- Jan low / Jul high
- 11° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 83 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 46.6
Otego is a town of 2,756 people in Otsego County, New York. The median home is worth $195,500, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks easier by car than 93% of New York towns, better for retirees than 87% of New York towns, quieter than 77% of New York towns.
How Otego 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 Otego is worth $195,500, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $77,553, which is more affordable than 63% of New York towns. Median rent is $965 a month. 77.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Otego | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $195,500 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $965 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $77,553 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 77.6% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1970 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 7.0% | — |
Who lives in Otego
| People | Otego | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.6 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 27.4% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 16.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.4% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.5% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 7.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.1% | — |
| Work from home | 4.1% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 21.8 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 79.0% | 91.1% |
Weather in Otego
July highs average 81.6°F and January lows 11.4°F. About 45.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 83.0 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 162 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Otego 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 6.9 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 27 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 Otego itself the ACS puts it at 9.5%.
Towns near Otego
- Oneonta, NY5.2 mi · 5,065 people · home $187,100
- Oneonta, NY6.4 mi · 13,079 people · home $184,100
- Unadilla, NY9.3 mi · 4,116 people · home $126,100
- Sidney, NY11.2 mi · 5,536 people · home $122,100
- Milford, NY12.5 mi · 2,827 people · home $170,800
- New Berlin, NY13.7 mi · 2,525 people · home $144,500
- Guilford, NY13.7 mi · 2,741 people · home $121,400
- Sidney, NY14.6 mi · 3,697 people · home $120,700
Otego questions
Is Otego, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Otego scores better for retirees than 87% of New York towns and quieter than 77%. 27.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.6).
How much does a house cost in Otego?
The median owner-occupied home in Otego is valued at $195,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $77,553, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $965 a month.
What is the weather like in Otego?
July highs average 81.6°F and January lows 11.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.3 inches of precipitation a year and 83.0 inches of snow.
Does Otego get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Otego 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)