The Town FilesPalenville, New York
Community in Greene County · population 1,002 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $238,500
- Jan low / Jul high
- 12° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 86 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 49.5
Palenville is a community of 1,002 people in Greene County, New York. The median home is worth $238,500, above the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks better for retirees than 96% of New York towns, better for a vacation home than 88% of New York towns, quieter than 85% of New York towns.
How Palenville 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 Palenville is worth $238,500, above the typical New York town ($217,700). Median rent is $1,008 a month. 73.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Palenville | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $238,500 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $1,008 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | — | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 73.3% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1944 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.8% | — |
Who lives in Palenville
| People | Palenville | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.5 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 32.1% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 15.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.4% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.4% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 3.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.9% | — |
| Work from home | 9.5% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 41.3 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 65.1% | 91.1% |
Weather in Palenville
July highs average 80.3°F and January lows 12.2°F. About 67.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 85.7 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 165 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Palenville since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 21, 2003 about 3.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 15, 2018.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 18 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 15, 2018.
Severe weather in Greene County since 1996
Greene County has been included in 29 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 |
| July 12, 2017 | Snowstorm | DR-4322: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| October 30, 2012 | Hurricane | DR-4085: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Greene County
Greene County had 14,167 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,727 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Palenville itself the ACS puts it at 8.4%.
Towns near Palenville
- Catskill, NY4.9 mi · 11,298 people · home $246,000
- Round Top, NY5.2 mi · 920 people · home $345,100
- Tannersville, NY5.4 mi · 568 people · home $283,900
- Hunter, NY6.5 mi · 3,035 people · home $314,200
- Saugerties, NY6.8 mi · 19,038 people · home $335,400
- South Cairo, NY6.8 mi · 590 people · home $187,200
- Cairo, NY7.9 mi · 6,644 people · home $263,400
- Germantown, NY8.0 mi · 1,121 people · home $445,900
Palenville questions
Is Palenville, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Palenville scores better for retirees than 96% of New York towns and quieter than 85%. 32.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 49.5).
How much does a house cost in Palenville?
The median owner-occupied home in Palenville is valued at $238,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of —. Median rent is $1,008 a month.
What is the weather like in Palenville?
July highs average 80.3°F and January lows 12.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 67.7 inches of precipitation a year and 85.7 inches of snow.
Does Palenville get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Palenville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 21, 2003. 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)