The Town FilesRuby, New York
Community in Ulster County · population 918 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $347,100
- Household income
- $104,831
- Jan low / Jul high
- 12° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 76 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 38.2
Ruby is a community of 918 people in Ulster County, New York. The median home is worth $347,100, above the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks better transit than 79% of New York towns.
How Ruby 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 Ruby is worth $347,100, above the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $104,831, which is more affordable than 38% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,352 a month. 72.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ruby | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $347,100 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $1,352 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $104,831 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.3× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 72.0% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Ruby
| People | Ruby | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.2 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.5% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.7% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.6% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 5.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.1% | — |
| Work from home | 3.4% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 15.9 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 75.1% | 91.1% |
Weather in Ruby
July highs average 80.3°F and January lows 12.2°F. About 67.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 76.3 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 165 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ruby since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on July 13, 2022 about 6.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 18, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 36 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 8, 2011.
Severe weather in Ulster County since 1996
Ulster County has been included in 37 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 Ulster County
Ulster County had 59,330 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,154 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Ruby itself the ACS puts it at 1.7%.
Towns near Ruby
- Lake Katrine, NY2.2 mi · 2,522 people · home $298,000
- Ulster, NY3.0 mi · 12,660 people · home $301,100
- Glasco, NY3.9 mi · 2,013 people · home $301,400
- Lincoln Park, NY3.9 mi · 2,545 people · home $272,600
- Zena, NY4.0 mi · 1,038 people · home $484,800
- Saugerties South, NY4.4 mi · 2,442 people · home $278,900
- West Hurley, NY5.1 mi · 1,917 people · home $437,100
- Saugerties, NY5.4 mi · 3,899 people · home $374,100
Ruby questions
Is Ruby, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ruby scores better for retirees than 12% of New York towns and quieter than 58%. 14.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.2).
How much does a house cost in Ruby?
The median owner-occupied home in Ruby is valued at $347,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $104,831, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $1,352 a month.
What is the weather like in Ruby?
July highs average 80.3°F and January lows 12.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 67.7 inches of precipitation a year and 76.3 inches of snow.
Does Ruby get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ruby since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on July 13, 2022. 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)