The Town FilesValley Falls, New York
Village in Rensselaer County · population 510 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $203,300
- Household income
- $87,143
- Jan low / Jul high
- 11° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 59 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 12
- Median age
- 44.6
Valley Falls is a village of 510 people in Rensselaer County, New York. The median home is worth $203,300, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks easier by car than 98% of New York towns, better for families than 90% of New York towns, quieter than 80% of New York towns.
How Valley Falls 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 Valley Falls is worth $203,300, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 2.3 times the median household income of $87,143, which is more affordable than 72% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,125 a month. 63.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Valley Falls | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $203,300 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $1,125 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $87,143 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.3× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 63.2% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1938 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Valley Falls
| People | Valley Falls | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.6 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.0% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.3% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 1.1% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 4.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.9% | — |
| Work from home | 12.8% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 36.0 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.6% | 91.1% |
Weather in Valley Falls
July highs average 82.5°F and January lows 11.3°F. About 43.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 58.5 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 156 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Valley Falls since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 31, 1998 about 6.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 29, 2020.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 23 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 1, 2011.
Severe weather in Rensselaer County since 1996
Rensselaer County has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| July 12, 2017 | Snowstorm | DR-4322: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| October 28, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3351: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Rensselaer County
Rensselaer County had 56,791 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $78,789 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Valley Falls itself the ACS puts it at 6.5%.
Towns near Valley Falls
- Schaghticoke, NY1.4 mi · 527 people · home $185,300
- Schaghticoke, NY2.7 mi · 7,445 people · home $260,200
- Pittstown, NY3.4 mi · 5,540 people · home $256,800
- Stillwater, NY5.0 mi · 1,754 people · home $271,900
- Mechanicville, NY6.4 mi · 5,163 people · home $186,500
- Stillwater, NY7.9 mi · 9,022 people · home $332,800
- Halfmoon, NY8.9 mi · 25,662 people · home $387,700
- Easton, NY9.0 mi · 2,279 people · home $242,500
Valley Falls questions
Is Valley Falls, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Valley Falls scores better for retirees than 43% of New York towns and quieter than 80%. 20.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.6).
How much does a house cost in Valley Falls?
The median owner-occupied home in Valley Falls is valued at $203,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $87,143, so homes cost about 2.3 times income. Median rent is $1,125 a month.
What is the weather like in Valley Falls?
July highs average 82.5°F and January lows 11.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.4 inches of precipitation a year and 58.5 inches of snow.
Does Valley Falls get tornadoes?
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Valley Falls since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 31, 1998. 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)