The Town FilesPlainfield, New York
Town in Otsego County · population 922 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $155,100
- Household income
- $70,673
- Jan low / Jul high
- 14° / 73°
- Snow a year
- 82 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 34.5
Plainfield is a town of 922 people in Otsego County, New York. The median home is worth $155,100, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks easier by car than 100% of New York towns, more of a college town than 89% of New York towns, better for a vacation home than 89% of New York towns.
How Plainfield 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 Plainfield is worth $155,100, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $70,673, which is more affordable than 76% of New York towns. Median rent is $750 a month. 87.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Plainfield | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $155,100 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $750 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $70,673 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 87.6% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.1% | — |
Who lives in Plainfield
| People | Plainfield | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.5 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.5% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 15.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.2% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.8% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 5.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.0% | — |
| Work from home | 11.5% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 29.3 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.1% | 91.1% |
Weather in Plainfield
July highs average 72.6°F and January lows 13.6°F. About 47.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 82.1 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 155 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Plainfield since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on June 22, 2024 about 5.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 29, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 16 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 14, 2023.
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 Plainfield itself the ACS puts it at 13.5%.
Towns near Plainfield
- West Winfield, NY3.8 mi · 733 people · home $151,300
- Bridgewater, NY4.5 mi · 516 people · home $80,000
- Winfield, NY5.0 mi · 1,897 people · home $140,500
- Exeter, NY6.3 mi · 845 people · home $243,000
- Bridgewater, NY6.3 mi · 1,507 people · home $89,900
- Richfield, NY7.6 mi · 2,065 people · home $146,400
- Brookfield, NY7.7 mi · 2,247 people · home $152,800
- Edmeston, NY8.0 mi · 1,907 people · home $147,400
Plainfield questions
Is Plainfield, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Plainfield scores better for retirees than 27% of New York towns and quieter than 52%. 14.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.5).
How much does a house cost in Plainfield?
The median owner-occupied home in Plainfield is valued at $155,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $70,673, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $750 a month.
What is the weather like in Plainfield?
July highs average 72.6°F and January lows 13.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.6 inches of precipitation a year and 82.1 inches of snow.
Does Plainfield get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Plainfield since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on June 22, 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)