The Town FilesVarna, New York
Community in Tompkins County · population 767 (2020 Census)
- Household income
- $70,227
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 63 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 28.9
Varna is a community of 767 people in Tompkins County, New York. It ranks better for retirees than 100% of New York towns, better for first-time buyers than 98% of New York towns, better for young professionals than 98% of New York towns.
How Varna 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
Median rent is $1,759 a month. 38.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Varna | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | — | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $1,759 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $70,227 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 38.5% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1988 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Varna
| People | Varna | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 28.9 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.5% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 11.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 63.8% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 25.2% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 0.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 10.3% | — |
| Work from home | 18.6% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 21.0 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.8% | 91.1% |
Weather in Varna
July highs average 79.9°F and January lows 14.6°F. About 38.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 62.9 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 148 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Varna since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on August 7, 2023 about 9.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 7, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 52 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 3, 2012.
Severe weather in Tompkins County since 1996
Tompkins County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| September 13, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-4031: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Lee |
Jobs and pay in Tompkins County
Tompkins County had 48,051 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $69,770 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Varna itself the ACS puts it at 4.3%.
Towns near Varna
- Forest Home, NY1.5 mi · 1,168 people · home $499,300
- Northeast Ithaca, NY1.7 mi · 2,701 people · home $402,000
- East Ithaca, NY2.2 mi · 3,175 people · home $332,700
- Cayuga Heights, NY2.8 mi · 4,114 people · home $433,000
- Ithaca, NY3.4 mi · 32,108 people · home $342,700
- Lansing, NY3.6 mi · 3,648 people · home $516,900
- South Hill, NY4.0 mi · 7,245 people · home $353,800
- Dryden, NY4.3 mi · 13,905 people · home $242,600
Varna questions
Is Varna, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Varna scores better for retirees than 100% of New York towns and quieter than 75%. 17.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 28.9).
What is the weather like in Varna?
July highs average 79.9°F and January lows 14.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.3 inches of precipitation a year and 62.9 inches of snow.
Does Varna get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Varna since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on August 7, 2023. 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)