The Town FilesPalermo, New York
Town in Oswego County · population 3,470 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $138,800
- Household income
- $71,548
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 159 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 37.1
Palermo is a town of 3,470 people in Oswego County, New York. The median home is worth $138,800, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 93% of New York towns, easier by car than 85% of New York towns.
How Palermo 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 Palermo is worth $138,800, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $71,548, which is more affordable than 88% of New York towns. Median rent is $734 a month. 88.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Palermo | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $138,800 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $734 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $71,548 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 88.2% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.7% | — |
Who lives in Palermo
| People | Palermo | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.1 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.4% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 30.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.7% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 20.4% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 6.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.9% | — |
| Work from home | 4.9% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 26.6 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.9% | 91.1% |
Weather in Palermo
July highs average 80.3°F and January lows 15.8°F. About 39.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 159.0 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 135 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Palermo since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 2, 1983 about 8.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 28, 2010.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 34 times; the largest was 2.50 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 Palermo itself the ACS puts it at 3.7%.
Towns near Palermo
- Volney, NY5.6 mi · 5,671 people · home $149,200
- Hastings, NY6.1 mi · 9,342 people · home $187,700
- Mexico, NY6.7 mi · 5,259 people · home $164,800
- Schroeppel, NY7.6 mi · 7,969 people · home $188,400
- New Haven, NY7.8 mi · 2,931 people · home $150,800
- Fulton, NY8.7 mi · 11,389 people · home $101,000
- West Monroe, NY9.6 mi · 4,088 people · home $185,100
- Scriba, NY10.2 mi · 6,617 people · home $158,700
Palermo questions
Is Palermo, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Palermo scores better for retirees than 22% of New York towns and quieter than 62%. 13.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.1).
How much does a house cost in Palermo?
The median owner-occupied home in Palermo is valued at $138,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $71,548, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $734 a month.
What is the weather like in Palermo?
July highs average 80.3°F and January lows 15.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.6 inches of precipitation a year and 159.0 inches of snow.
Does Palermo get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Palermo since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 2, 1983. 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)