The Town FilesOtto, New York
Town in Cattaraugus County · population 777 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $141,300
- Household income
- $60,385
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 208 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 53.4
Otto is a town of 777 people in Cattaraugus County, New York. The median home is worth $141,300, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks quieter than 91% of New York towns, better for a vacation home than 79% of New York towns, easier by car than 71% of New York towns.
How Otto 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 Otto is worth $141,300, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 2.3 times the median household income of $60,385, which is more affordable than 72% of New York towns. Median rent is $883 a month. 89.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Otto | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $141,300 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $883 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $60,385 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.3× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 89.5% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1958 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 17.7% | — |
Who lives in Otto
| People | Otto | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 53.4 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 33.5% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 12.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.3% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.2% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 9.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.5% | — |
| Work from home | 16.9% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 32.5 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 74.1% | 91.1% |
Weather in Otto
July highs average 78.7°F and January lows 15.7°F. About 53.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 208.3 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 149 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Otto since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on July 24, 1967 about 9.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 18, 1977.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 9 times; the largest was 1.75 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 Otto itself the ACS puts it at 7.6%.
Towns near Otto
- Persia, NY4.0 mi · 2,207 people · home $100,000
- Cattaraugus, NY5.0 mi · 960 people · home $71,200
- East Otto, NY5.1 mi · 974 people · home $182,600
- Gowanda, NY6.3 mi · 2,513 people · home $96,400
- Collins, NY6.5 mi · 5,894 people · home $153,000
- New Albion, NY6.8 mi · 1,981 people · home $88,600
- Mansfield, NY7.6 mi · 843 people · home $200,000
- Dayton, NY7.9 mi · 1,690 people · home $111,700
Otto questions
Is Otto, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Otto scores better for retirees than 55% of New York towns and quieter than 91%. 33.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 53.4).
How much does a house cost in Otto?
The median owner-occupied home in Otto is valued at $141,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $60,385, so homes cost about 2.3 times income. Median rent is $883 a month.
What is the weather like in Otto?
July highs average 78.7°F and January lows 15.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 53.7 inches of precipitation a year and 208.3 inches of snow.
Does Otto get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Otto since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on July 24, 1967. 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)