The Town Files

Richfield, New York

Town in Otsego County · population 2,065 (2020 Census)

Map: where Richfield is in New YorkRichfield
Median home
$146,400
Household income
$59,833
Jan low / Jul high
14° / 73°
Snow a year
86 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
3
Median age
37.0

Richfield is a town of 2,065 people in Otsego County, New York. The median home is worth $146,400, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks hipper than 90% of New York towns, better for a vacation home than 84% of New York towns, quieter than 81% of New York towns.

How Richfield 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.

Richfield lifestyle rankings vs other New York townsRetirement65th pctFamilies23rd pctQuiet81st pctWalkability48th pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals43rd pctVibrancy53rd pctHip & trendy90th pctCollege town3rd pctUpscale28th pctVacation homes84th pctSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit62nd pctDriving47th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Richfield is worth $146,400, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $59,833, which is more affordable than 67% of New York towns. Median rent is $802 a month. 71.7% of households own their home.

Richfield vs Otsego County vs typical New York townRichfieldOtsego CountyTypical New York townHome value$146,400$179,100$217,700Household income$59,833$68,885$80,740Monthly rent$802$987$1,080
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of New York towns with 500+ people.
HousingRichfieldTypical New York town
Median home value$146,400$217,700
Median rent$802$1,080
Median household income$59,833$80,740
Home value ÷ income2.4×2.8×
Homeownership71.7%79.5%
Median year built19471965
Seasonal / vacation homes24.1%—

Who lives in Richfield

PeopleRichfieldTypical New York town
Median age37.043.5
Age 65 and over21.8%20.4%
Under 1817.8%—
Bachelor's degree or higher26.5%30.4%
Below the poverty line18.2%9.3%
Veterans7.2%—
Born outside the U.S.1.1%—
Work from home4.9%11.1%
Average commute31.0 min26.0 min
Homes with broadband87.5%91.1%

Weather in Richfield

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 85.5 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.

Richfield monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°32° freezing23°14°Jan26°14°Feb35°22°Mar48°34°Apr60°45°May68°54°Jun73°59°Jul71°57°Aug64°50°Sep52°39°Oct39°30°Nov29°21°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue3.121.73.118.83.617.64.22.83.70.14.74.64.64.25.00.43.25.93.618.2
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Cooperstown station (11.2 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 1 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Richfield since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on June 22, 2024 about 5.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 22, 2024.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Richfield by decade01950s01960s01970s01980s21990s02000s02010s12020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 27 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 14, 2023.

Severe weather in Otsego County since 1996

Storm events in Otsego County since 1996 by typeHail131Flood11Tornado6High Wind14Ice Storm11Heavy Snow70Flash Flood67Winter Storm26
NOAA Storm Events Database, Otsego County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 2 deaths recorded.

Otsego County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
August 22, 2021HurricaneEM-3565: Hurricane Henri
March 20, 2020BiologicalDR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3434: Covid-19
December 19, 2019Severe StormDR-4472: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding
July 12, 2017SnowstormDR-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 Richfield itself the ACS puts it at 3.7%.

Largest industries in Otsego CountyHealth care & social assistan…5,435 jobs · $85,269Retail2,789 jobs · $38,907Hotels & restaurants2,364 jobs · $28,660Manufacturing1,199 jobs · $59,731Finance & insurance1,083 jobs · $82,307Education913 jobs · $51,383
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Otsego County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%2000200420082012201620202023Otsego 3.8%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Richfield

Richfield questions

Is Richfield, New York a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Richfield scores better for retirees than 65% of New York towns and quieter than 81%. 21.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.0).

How much does a house cost in Richfield?

The median owner-occupied home in Richfield is valued at $146,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $59,833, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $802 a month.

What is the weather like in Richfield?

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 85.5 inches of snow.

Does Richfield get tornadoes?

3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Richfield since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on June 22, 2024. The typical New York town has had 5.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Richfield's Census boundary (GEOID 3607761467). Comparisons use the median of New York towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.