The Town Files

Sherman, New York

Town in Chautauqua County · population 1,622 (2020 Census)

Map: where Sherman is in New YorkSherman
Median home
$133,000
Household income
$51,953
Jan low / Jul high
21° / 83°
Snow a year
225 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
9
Median age
34.7

Sherman is a town of 1,622 people in Chautauqua County, New York. The median home is worth $133,000, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks better for a vacation home than 89% of New York towns, better for families than 88% of New York towns, better for first-time buyers than 77% of New York towns.

Sherman in our rankings:

How Sherman 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.

Sherman lifestyle rankings vs other New York townsRetirement12th pctFamilies88th pctQuiet57th pctWalkability22nd pctFirst-time buyers77th pctYoung professionals21st pctVibrancy22nd pctHip & trendy23rd pctCollege town29th pctUpscale13th pctVacation homes89th pctSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit58th pctDriving19th 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 Sherman is worth $133,000, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $51,953, which is more affordable than 59% of New York towns. Median rent is $774 a month. 75.1% of households own their home.

Sherman vs Chautauqua County vs typical New York townShermanChautauqua CountyTypical New York townHome value$133,000$127,900$217,700Household income$51,953$58,351$80,740Monthly rent$774$812$1,080
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of New York towns with 500+ people.
HousingShermanTypical New York town
Median home value$133,000$217,700
Median rent$774$1,080
Median household income$51,953$80,740
Home value ÷ income2.6×2.8×
Homeownership75.1%79.5%
Median year built19631965
Seasonal / vacation homes6.9%—

Who lives in Sherman

PeopleShermanTypical New York town
Median age34.743.5
Age 65 and over18.6%20.4%
Under 1827.8%—
Bachelor's degree or higher17.3%30.4%
Below the poverty line15.1%9.3%
Veterans6.7%—
Born outside the U.S.0.9%—
Work from home9.7%11.1%
Average commute25.7 min26.0 min
Homes with broadband69.6%91.1%

Weather in Sherman

July highs average 82.8°F and January lows 20.6°F. About 43.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 224.5 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 117 nights at or below freezing.

Sherman monthly temperatures and precipitation20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing34°21°Jan36°21°Feb44°28°Mar57°38°Apr69°50°May78°60°Jun83°64°Jul80°63°Aug73°57°Sep61°47°Oct49°36°Nov39°28°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.661.72.436.02.937.53.57.73.80.13.64.43.84.64.92.03.826.63.252.9
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Westfield 2 Sse station (11.1 mi away); snow from Sherman (1.6 mi).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sherman since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 31, 1985 about 9.5 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 3 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 24, 2010.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Sherman by decade01950s31960s11970s41980s01990s02000s12010s02020s
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 13 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on April 14, 2019.

Severe weather in Chautauqua County since 1996

Storm events in Chautauqua County since 1996 by typeHail77Flood13Seiche8High Wind95Heavy Rain15Heavy Snow87Flash Flood94Frost/Freeze36
NOAA Storm Events Database, Chautauqua County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 1 deaths recorded.

Chautauqua County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
November 20, 2022Winter StormEM-3589: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm
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
December 22, 2014SnowstormDR-4204: Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding

Jobs and pay in Chautauqua County

Chautauqua County had 46,319 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,960 a year. Unemployment was 4.3% in 2023; in Sherman itself the ACS puts it at 6.4%.

Largest industries in Chautauqua CountyManufacturing8,218 jobs · $68,126Health care & social assistan…6,263 jobs · $56,010Retail5,889 jobs · $35,735Hotels & restaurants4,545 jobs · $22,867Administrative & support1,809 jobs · $39,115Construction1,743 jobs · $62,382
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Chautauqua County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023Chautauqua 4.3%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Sherman

Sherman questions

Is Sherman, New York a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sherman scores better for retirees than 12% of New York towns and quieter than 57%. 18.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.7).

How much does a house cost in Sherman?

The median owner-occupied home in Sherman is valued at $133,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $51,953, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $774 a month.

What is the weather like in Sherman?

July highs average 82.8°F and January lows 20.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.5 inches of precipitation a year and 224.5 inches of snow.

Does Sherman get tornadoes?

9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sherman since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 31, 1985. The typical New York town has had 5.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Sherman's Census boundary (GEOID 3601366960). 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.