The Town FilesSeward, New York
Town in Schoharie County · population 1,583 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $198,500
- Household income
- $86,786
- Jan low / Jul high
- 12° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 54 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 39.5
Seward is a town of 1,583 people in Schoharie County, New York. The median home is worth $198,500, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks easier by car than 94% of New York towns, quieter than 71% of New York towns.
How Seward 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 Seward is worth $198,500, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 2.3 times the median household income of $86,786, which is more affordable than 72% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,180 a month. 87.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Seward | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $198,500 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $1,180 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $86,786 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.3× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 87.5% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 7.4% | — |
Who lives in Seward
| People | Seward | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.5 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.9% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 27.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.1% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.4% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 9.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.7% | — |
| Work from home | 13.1% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 37.3 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.1% | 91.1% |
Weather in Seward
July highs average 79.5°F and January lows 11.6°F. About 40.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 53.5 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 155 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Seward since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on July 10, 1989 about 8.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 26, 1998.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 16 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 23, 2012.
Severe weather in Schoharie County since 1996
Schoharie County has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| July 12, 2017 | Snowstorm | DR-4322: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| October 28, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3351: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Schoharie County
Schoharie County had 8,062 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,611 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in Seward itself the ACS puts it at 5.4%.
Towns near Seward
- Sharon, NY5.0 mi · 1,697 people · home $174,600
- Richmondville, NY5.1 mi · 2,466 people · home $159,300
- Richmondville, NY5.3 mi · 858 people · home $160,900
- Cobleskill, NY5.3 mi · 4,173 people · home $193,300
- Roseboom, NY6.6 mi · 690 people · home $166,700
- Cobleskill, NY7.3 mi · 6,086 people · home $186,300
- Carlisle, NY7.6 mi · 1,768 people · home $199,600
- Summit, NY9.3 mi · 1,072 people · home $150,000
Seward questions
Is Seward, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Seward scores better for retirees than 61% of New York towns and quieter than 71%. 17.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.5).
How much does a house cost in Seward?
The median owner-occupied home in Seward is valued at $198,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $86,786, so homes cost about 2.3 times income. Median rent is $1,180 a month.
What is the weather like in Seward?
July highs average 79.5°F and January lows 11.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 40.7 inches of precipitation a year and 53.5 inches of snow.
Does Seward get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Seward since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on July 10, 1989. 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)