The Town Files

Tusten, New York

Town in Sullivan County · population 1,405 (2020 Census)

Map: where Tusten is in New YorkTusten
Median home
$263,800
Household income
$75,893
Jan low / Jul high
15° / 82°
Snow a year
47 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
7
Median age
48.8

Tusten is a town of 1,405 people in Sullivan County, New York. The median home is worth $263,800, above the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks quieter than 96% of New York towns, hipper than 93% of New York towns, better for a vacation home than 92% of New York towns.

How Tusten 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.

Tusten lifestyle rankings vs other New York townsRetirement85th pctFamilies53rd pctQuiet96th pctWalkability3rd pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals49th pctVibrancy17th pctHip & trendy93rd pctCollege town20th pctUpscale56th pctVacation homes92nd pctSeaside characterbottomCycling89th pctTransit59th pctDriving17th 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 Tusten is worth $263,800, above the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $75,893, which is more affordable than 35% of New York towns. Median rent is $915 a month. 80.7% of households own their home.

Tusten vs Sullivan County vs typical New York townTustenSullivan CountyTypical New York townHome value$263,800$249,000$217,700Household income$75,893$72,382$80,740Monthly rent$915$1,106$1,080
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of New York towns with 500+ people.
HousingTustenTypical New York town
Median home value$263,800$217,700
Median rent$915$1,080
Median household income$75,893$80,740
Home value ÷ income3.5×2.8×
Homeownership80.7%79.5%
Median year built19691965
Seasonal / vacation homes25.5%—

Who lives in Tusten

PeopleTustenTypical New York town
Median age48.843.5
Age 65 and over18.5%20.4%
Under 1811.9%—
Bachelor's degree or higher45.3%30.4%
Below the poverty line6.4%9.3%
Veterans5.0%—
Born outside the U.S.7.7%—
Work from home27.9%11.1%
Average commute38.8 min26.0 min
Homes with broadband96.2%91.1%

Weather in Tusten

July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 15.2°F. About 46.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 47.0 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 152 nights at or below freezing.

Tusten monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing33°15°Jan37°17°Feb46°24°Mar59°35°Apr71°45°May78°54°Jun82°59°Jul80°57°Aug74°49°Sep62°39°Oct49°29°Nov38°21°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.513.02.511.83.59.53.81.33.84.84.34.64.74.80.13.31.43.79.8
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Milanville station (7.9 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 4 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Tusten since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on July 23, 2010 about 6.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 23, 2010.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Tusten by decade01950s01960s01970s11980s01990s22000s42010s02020s
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 10 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on June 24, 1985.

Severe weather in Sullivan County since 1996

Storm events in Sullivan County since 1996 by typeHail106Flood19Drought6Tornado7High Wind18Ice Storm9Heavy Snow56Flash Flood74
NOAA Storm Events Database, Sullivan County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 4 deaths recorded.

Sullivan County has been included in 35 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
September 5, 2021HurricaneDR-4615: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida
September 2, 2021HurricaneEM-3572: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida
August 22, 2021HurricaneEM-3565: Hurricane Henri
March 20, 2020BiologicalDR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-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 Tusten itself the ACS puts it at 9.8%.

Largest industries in Sullivan CountyHealth care & social assistan…7,629 jobs · $46,729Hotels & restaurants3,453 jobs · $43,027Retail2,601 jobs · $36,697Manufacturing2,051 jobs · $56,737Construction1,235 jobs · $97,721Transportation & warehousing1,112 jobs · $42,954
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Sullivan County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023Sullivan 3.3%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Tusten

Tusten questions

Is Tusten, New York a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Tusten scores better for retirees than 85% of New York towns and quieter than 96%. 18.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.8).

How much does a house cost in Tusten?

The median owner-occupied home in Tusten is valued at $263,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $75,893, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $915 a month.

What is the weather like in Tusten?

July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 15.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.3 inches of precipitation a year and 47.0 inches of snow.

Does Tusten get tornadoes?

7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Tusten since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on July 23, 2010. The typical New York town has had 5.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Tusten's Census boundary (GEOID 3610575759). 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.