The Town FilesRapids, New York
Community in Niagara County · population 1,584 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $294,700
- Household income
- $121,875
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 82 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 44.0
Rapids is a community of 1,584 people in Niagara County, New York. The median home is worth $294,700, above the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks easier by car than 91% of New York towns, better for young professionals than 71% of New York towns.
How Rapids 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 Rapids is worth $294,700, above the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $121,875, which is more affordable than 67% of New York towns. 90.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rapids | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $294,700 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | — | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $121,875 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 90.0% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1985 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Rapids
| People | Rapids | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.0 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.7% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 26.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42.5% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.0% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 2.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.1% | — |
| Work from home | 18.1% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 24.5 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.9% | 91.1% |
Weather in Rapids
July highs average 82.3°F and January lows 18.1°F. About 37.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 81.7 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 136 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rapids since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 7, 1961 about 9.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 30, 1976.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 22 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on August 20, 1970.
Severe weather in Niagara County since 1996
Niagara County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 15, 2023 | Snowstorm | DR-4694: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 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 |
| November 14, 2017 | Flood | DR-4348: Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Niagara County
Niagara County had 68,068 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,707 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Rapids itself the ACS puts it at 9.2%.
Towns near Rapids
- South Lockport, NY3.4 mi · 9,355 people · home $163,600
- Lockport, NY4.2 mi · 20,563 people · home $234,500
- Clarence, NY5.0 mi · 32,950 people · home $408,500
- Lockport, NY5.6 mi · 20,876 people · home $139,900
- Royalton, NY6.0 mi · 7,517 people · home $182,200
- Pendleton, NY6.1 mi · 7,035 people · home $294,300
- Clarence Center, NY6.2 mi · 2,605 people · home $460,000
- Gasport, NY7.0 mi · 1,296 people · home $166,600
Rapids questions
Is Rapids, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rapids scores better for retirees than 54% of New York towns and quieter than 37%. 17.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.0).
How much does a house cost in Rapids?
The median owner-occupied home in Rapids is valued at $294,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $121,875, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Rapids?
July highs average 82.3°F and January lows 18.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.9 inches of precipitation a year and 81.7 inches of snow.
Does Rapids get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rapids since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 7, 1961. 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)