The Town FilesSparrow Bush, New York
Community in Orange County · population 981 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $240,000
- Household income
- $56,349
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 41 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 47.2
Sparrow Bush is a community of 981 people in Orange County, New York. The median home is worth $240,000, above the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks better transit than 74% of New York towns, better for first-time buyers than 70% of New York towns, more of a college town than 70% of New York towns.
How Sparrow Bush 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 Sparrow Bush is worth $240,000, above the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 4.3 times the median household income of $56,349, which is more affordable than 20% of New York towns. 63.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sparrow Bush | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $240,000 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | — | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $56,349 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.3× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 63.4% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1956 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Sparrow Bush
| People | Sparrow Bush | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.2 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 28.7% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 24.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.1% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.6% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 5.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.1% | — |
| Work from home | 2.9% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 36.5 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.4% | 91.1% |
Weather in Sparrow Bush
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 15.9°F. About 47.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 40.8 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 151 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Sparrow Bush since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on July 29, 2009 about 9.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 29, 2009.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 20 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 28, 2020.
Severe weather in Orange County since 1996
Orange County has been included in 36 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| November 15, 2024 | Fire | FM-5547: Jennings Creek Fire |
| July 22, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4723: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Orange County
Orange County had 155,524 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,619 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Sparrow Bush itself the ACS puts it at 12.1%.
Towns near Sparrow Bush
- Port Jervis, NY1.8 mi · 8,775 people · home $236,700
- Matamoras, PA2.4 mi · 2,362 people · home $245,700
- Westfall, PA3.4 mi · 2,537 people · home $299,900
- Deerpark, NY4.0 mi · 7,509 people · home $247,400
- Greenville, NY6.0 mi · 4,689 people · home $380,400
- Milford, PA7.2 mi · 1,103 people · home $362,600
- Milford, PA7.2 mi · 1,523 people · home $354,700
- Lumberland, NY8.3 mi · 2,243 people · home $318,200
Sparrow Bush questions
Is Sparrow Bush, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sparrow Bush scores better for retirees than 52% of New York towns and quieter than 38%. 28.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.2).
How much does a house cost in Sparrow Bush?
The median owner-occupied home in Sparrow Bush is valued at $240,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $56,349, so homes cost about 4.3 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Sparrow Bush?
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 15.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.3 inches of precipitation a year and 40.8 inches of snow.
Does Sparrow Bush get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Sparrow Bush since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on July 29, 2009. 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)