The Town FilesRockland, New York
Town in Sullivan County · population 3,290 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $155,400
- Household income
- $52,778
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 70 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 52.9
Rockland is a town of 3,290 people in Sullivan County, New York. The median home is worth $155,400, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks quieter than 90% of New York towns, better for a vacation home than 83% of New York towns, better for first-time buyers than 81% of New York towns.
How Rockland 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 Rockland is worth $155,400, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $52,778, which is more affordable than 49% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,119 a month. 84.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rockland | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $155,400 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $1,119 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $52,778 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 84.1% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1959 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 25.3% | — |
Who lives in Rockland
| People | Rockland | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.9 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 28.6% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 12.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.3% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.5% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 3.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 10.2% | — |
| Work from home | 8.6% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 23.7 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 77.6% | 91.1% |
Weather in Rockland
July highs average 78.9°F and January lows 13.2°F. About 53.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 69.8 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 163 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rockland since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on April 22, 2023 about 6.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 25, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 19 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 15, 2018.
Severe weather in Sullivan County since 1996
Sullivan County has been included in 35 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 5, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4615: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| September 2, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3572: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Sullivan County
Sullivan County had 30,393 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,182 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Rockland itself the ACS puts it at 0.8%.
Towns near Rockland
- Liberty, NY10.4 mi · 10,159 people · home $248,500
- Callicoon, NY11.2 mi · 2,989 people · home $316,800
- Liberty, NY11.7 mi · 4,700 people · home $181,900
- Neversink, NY12.2 mi · 3,366 people · home $304,100
- Middletown, NY16.0 mi · 3,336 people · home $250,000
- Fallsburg, NY18.3 mi · 14,192 people · home $256,000
- Bethel, NY19.2 mi · 3,959 people · home $247,700
- Hancock, NY20.3 mi · 2,764 people · home $161,100
Rockland questions
Is Rockland, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rockland scores better for retirees than 77% of New York towns and quieter than 90%. 28.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 52.9).
How much does a house cost in Rockland?
The median owner-occupied home in Rockland is valued at $155,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $52,778, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $1,119 a month.
What is the weather like in Rockland?
July highs average 78.9°F and January lows 13.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 53.1 inches of precipitation a year and 69.8 inches of snow.
Does Rockland get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rockland since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on April 22, 2023. 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)