The Town FilesWatchtower, New York
Community in Ulster County · population 1,709 (2020 Census)
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 44 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 37.4
Watchtower is a community of 1,709 people in Ulster County, New York. It ranks easier by car than 100% of New York towns, more of a college town than 98% of New York towns, better for young professionals than 91% of New York towns.
How Watchtower 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
| Housing | Watchtower | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | — | $217,700 |
| Median rent | — | $1,080 |
| Median household income | — | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | — | 79.5% |
| Median year built | — | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | — | — |
Who lives in Watchtower
| People | Watchtower | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.4 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 7.9% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 0.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 1.7% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 100.0% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 0.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 12.9% | — |
| Work from home | — | 11.1% |
| Average commute | — min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | — | 91.1% |
Weather in Watchtower
July highs average 85.1°F and January lows 15.5°F. About 45.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 44.2 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 147 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Watchtower since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on March 21, 1976 about 8.5 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 9 deaths and 18 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on August 27, 2020.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 18 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 9, 2011.
Severe weather in Ulster County since 1996
Ulster County has been included in 37 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| March 20, 2020 | Biological | DR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3434: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Ulster County
Ulster County had 59,330 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,154 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023.
Towns near Watchtower
- Shawangunk, NY0.4 mi · 13,563 people · home $360,100
- Pine Bush, NY2.6 mi · 1,751 people · home $318,200
- Crawford, NY5.3 mi · 9,130 people · home $428,800
- Gardiner, NY5.4 mi · 5,610 people · home $469,200
- Wallkill, NY5.4 mi · 2,166 people · home $341,700
- Walker Valley, NY5.6 mi · 1,269 people · home $331,700
- Walden, NY6.6 mi · 6,818 people · home $333,500
- Gardiner, NY6.6 mi · 952 people · home $568,600
Watchtower questions
Is Watchtower, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Watchtower scores better for retirees than 69% of New York towns and quieter than 45%. 7.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.4).
What is the weather like in Watchtower?
July highs average 85.1°F and January lows 15.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.4 inches of precipitation a year and 44.2 inches of snow.
Does Watchtower get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Watchtower since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on March 21, 1976. 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)