The Town FilesShawangunk, New York
Town in Ulster County · population 13,563 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $360,100
- Household income
- $109,536
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 44 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 40.5
Shawangunk is a town of 13,563 people in Ulster County, New York. The median home is worth $360,100, above the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks easier by car than 86% of New York towns, better for families than 85% of New York towns, more of a college town than 85% of New York towns.
How Shawangunk 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 Shawangunk is worth $360,100, above the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $109,536, which is more affordable than 38% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,375 a month. 82.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Shawangunk | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $360,100 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $1,375 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $109,536 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.3× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 82.8% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 5.4% | — |
Who lives in Shawangunk
| People | Shawangunk | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.5 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.6% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 11.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.3% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 35.9% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 3.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.4% | — |
| Work from home | 7.1% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 35.0 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.6% | 91.1% |
Weather in Shawangunk
July highs average 85.1°F and January lows 15.5°F. About 45.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 44.2 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 147 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Shawangunk since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on March 21, 1976 about 8.8 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 9 deaths and 18 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on August 27, 2020.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 18 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 9, 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 Shawangunk itself the ACS puts it at 4%.
Towns near Shawangunk
- Crawford, NY4.9 mi · 9,130 people · home $428,800
- Gardiner, NY5.7 mi · 5,610 people · home $469,200
- Walden, NY6.4 mi · 6,818 people · home $333,500
- Montgomery, NY7.0 mi · 23,322 people · home $347,600
- Ellenville, NY7.1 mi · 4,167 people · home $218,200
- Montgomery, NY7.8 mi · 3,834 people · home $361,300
- Plattekill, NY10.0 mi · 10,424 people · home $310,000
- Maybrook, NY10.3 mi · 3,150 people · home $257,500
Shawangunk questions
Is Shawangunk, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Shawangunk scores better for retirees than 54% of New York towns and quieter than 44%. 13.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.5).
How much does a house cost in Shawangunk?
The median owner-occupied home in Shawangunk is valued at $360,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $109,536, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $1,375 a month.
What is the weather like in Shawangunk?
July highs average 85.1°F and January lows 15.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.4 inches of precipitation a year and 44.2 inches of snow.
Does Shawangunk get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Shawangunk since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on March 21, 1976. 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)