The Town FilesPreble, New York
Town in Cortland County · population 1,357 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $176,700
- Household income
- $82,083
- Jan low / Jul high
- 11° / 77°
- Snow a year
- 117 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 44.8
Preble is a town of 1,357 people in Cortland County, New York. The median home is worth $176,700, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks more of a college town than 73% of New York towns.
How Preble 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 Preble is worth $176,700, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $82,083, which is more affordable than 76% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,278 a month. 86.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Preble | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $176,700 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $1,278 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $82,083 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 86.0% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1960 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 7.0% | — |
Who lives in Preble
| People | Preble | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.8 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 29.0% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 21.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.7% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.4% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 7.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.9% | — |
| Work from home | 16.7% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 27.4 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.3% | 91.1% |
Weather in Preble
July highs average 77.3°F and January lows 11.4°F. About 48.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 117.3 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 164 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Preble since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an F0, struck on September 24, 2001 about 9.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 24, 2001.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 28 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 9, 2011.
Severe weather in Cortland County since 1996
Cortland County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 29, 2024 | Flood | DR-4814: Severe Storm, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| October 8, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4625: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Fred |
| 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 Cortland County
Cortland County had 16,911 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,778 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in Preble itself the ACS puts it at 1.1%.
Towns near Preble
- Tully, NY3.9 mi · 904 people · home $186,700
- Tully, NY4.5 mi · 2,676 people · home $249,700
- Scott, NY5.3 mi · 1,077 people · home $159,900
- Truxton, NY5.9 mi · 997 people · home $178,500
- Homer, NY5.9 mi · 6,293 people · home $172,900
- Homer, NY7.8 mi · 3,210 people · home $165,200
- Fabius, NY9.1 mi · 2,006 people · home $239,300
- Otisco, NY9.5 mi · 2,368 people · home $263,900
Preble questions
Is Preble, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Preble scores better for retirees than 60% of New York towns and quieter than 66%. 29.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.8).
How much does a house cost in Preble?
The median owner-occupied home in Preble is valued at $176,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $82,083, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $1,278 a month.
What is the weather like in Preble?
July highs average 77.3°F and January lows 11.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.5 inches of precipitation a year and 117.3 inches of snow.
Does Preble get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Preble since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on September 24, 2001. 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)