The Town FilesSmallwood, New York
Community in Sullivan County · population 839 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $162,100
- Household income
- $65,186
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 59 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 58.3
Smallwood is a community of 839 people in Sullivan County, New York. The median home is worth $162,100, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks quieter than 97% of New York towns, better for retirees than 90% of New York towns, better for a vacation home than 89% of New York towns.
How Smallwood 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 Smallwood is worth $162,100, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $65,186, which is more affordable than 63% of New York towns. 76.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Smallwood | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $162,100 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | — | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $65,186 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 76.5% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1946 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 60.1% | — |
Who lives in Smallwood
| People | Smallwood | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 58.3 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 37.8% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 22.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.4% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 19.0% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 11.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 24.5% | — |
| Work from home | 23.3% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 53.3 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.6% | 91.1% |
Weather in Smallwood
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 59.0 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 Smallwood since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 9, 1972 about 6.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 28, 1996.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 18 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on April 22, 2023.
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 Smallwood itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Towns near Smallwood
- Bethel, NY2.9 mi · 3,959 people · home $247,700
- Monticello, NY6.6 mi · 7,173 people · home $172,000
- Thompson, NY7.1 mi · 16,550 people · home $229,000
- Highland, NY7.3 mi · 2,196 people · home $255,000
- Forestburgh, NY8.7 mi · 808 people · home $362,700
- Hurleyville, NY9.1 mi · 519 people · home $353,300
- Cochecton, NY9.4 mi · 1,448 people · home $335,600
- South Fallsburg, NY9.8 mi · 2,347 people · home $375,000
Smallwood questions
Is Smallwood, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Smallwood scores better for retirees than 90% of New York towns and quieter than 97%. 37.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 58.3).
How much does a house cost in Smallwood?
The median owner-occupied home in Smallwood is valued at $162,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $65,186, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Smallwood?
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 59.0 inches of snow.
Does Smallwood get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Smallwood since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 9, 1972. 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)