The Town FilesThornwood, New York
Community in Westchester County · population 3,960 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $650,400
- Household income
- $170,398
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 33 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 39.8
Thornwood is a community of 3,960 people in Westchester County, New York. The median home is worth $650,400, above the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks more of a college town than 98% of New York towns, better transit than 97% of New York towns, better for families than 95% of New York towns.
How Thornwood 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 Thornwood is worth $650,400, above the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 3.8 times the median household income of $170,398, which is more affordable than 29% of New York towns. Median rent is $2,550 a month. 86.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Thornwood | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $650,400 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $2,550 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $170,398 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.8× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 86.2% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1961 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Thornwood
| People | Thornwood | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.8 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.1% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 21.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.6% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.8% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 4.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 16.0% | — |
| Work from home | 20.3% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 31.5 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.2% | 91.1% |
Weather in Thornwood
July highs average 83.2°F and January lows 22.4°F. About 47.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 32.7 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 105 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Thornwood since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 12, 2006 about 1.6 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 6 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on October 2, 2018.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 25 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on August 1, 2011.
Severe weather in Westchester County since 1996
Westchester County has been included in 32 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 30, 2024 | Flood | DR-4755: Severe Storm 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 |
| October 2, 2020 | Hurricane | DR-4567: Tropical Storm Isaias |
Jobs and pay in Westchester County
Westchester County had 429,582 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $94,317 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Thornwood itself the ACS puts it at 1.8%.
Public schools in Thornwood
3 public schools with 1,483 students, about 9.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| WESTLAKE HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 540 | 9.2 |
| COLUMBUS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | 3-5 | 477 | 10.1 |
| WESTLAKE MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 466 | 9.5 |
Towns near Thornwood
- Pleasantville, NY1.1 mi · 7,513 people · home $824,200
- Hawthorne, NY1.4 mi · 4,646 people · home $692,200
- Mount Pleasant, NY1.9 mi · 44,436 people · home $788,900
- Chappaqua, NY2.7 mi · 2,598 people · home $781,100
- Valhalla, NY2.8 mi · 3,213 people · home $663,500
- Armonk, NY3.3 mi · 4,495 people · home $1,073,300
- Briarcliff Manor, NY3.9 mi · 7,569 people · home $880,300
- New Castle, NY4.4 mi · 18,311 people · home $1,038,800
Thornwood questions
Is Thornwood, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Thornwood scores better for retirees than 52% of New York towns and quieter than 16%. 18.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.8).
How much does a house cost in Thornwood?
The median owner-occupied home in Thornwood is valued at $650,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $170,398, so homes cost about 3.8 times income. Median rent is $2,550 a month.
What is the weather like in Thornwood?
July highs average 83.2°F and January lows 22.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.8 inches of precipitation a year and 32.7 inches of snow.
Does Thornwood get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Thornwood since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 12, 2006. 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)