The Town FilesWawarsing, New York
Town in Ulster County · population 12,771 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $236,900
- Household income
- $64,321
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 69 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 45.4
Wawarsing is a town of 12,771 people in Ulster County, New York. The median home is worth $236,900, above the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 97% of New York towns, better for cycling than 96% of New York towns, more of a college town than 73% of New York towns.
How Wawarsing 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 Wawarsing is worth $236,900, above the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $64,321, which is more affordable than 31% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,252 a month. 65.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wawarsing | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $236,900 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $1,252 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $64,321 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 65.7% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1955 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 10.4% | — |
Who lives in Wawarsing
| People | Wawarsing | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.4 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.4% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 17.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.1% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 22.0% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 4.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.9% | — |
| Work from home | 10.2% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 30.0 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.8% | 91.1% |
Weather in Wawarsing
July highs average 82.7°F and January lows 18.9°F. About 52.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 69.1 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 121 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wawarsing 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 4.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 16, 1986.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 11 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 31, 1982.
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; in Wawarsing itself the ACS puts it at 5.3%.
Towns near Wawarsing
- Ellenville, NY4.2 mi · 4,167 people · home $218,200
- Rochester, NY8.9 mi · 7,272 people · home $354,300
- Fallsburg, NY9.5 mi · 14,192 people · home $256,000
- Shawangunk, NY11.2 mi · 13,563 people · home $360,100
- Mamakating, NY11.7 mi · 12,655 people · home $246,800
- Neversink, NY12.0 mi · 3,366 people · home $304,100
- Gardiner, NY12.5 mi · 5,610 people · home $469,200
- Crawford, NY13.3 mi · 9,130 people · home $428,800
Wawarsing questions
Is Wawarsing, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wawarsing scores better for retirees than 62% of New York towns and quieter than 33%. 23.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.4).
How much does a house cost in Wawarsing?
The median owner-occupied home in Wawarsing is valued at $236,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $64,321, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $1,252 a month.
What is the weather like in Wawarsing?
July highs average 82.7°F and January lows 18.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 52.6 inches of precipitation a year and 69.1 inches of snow.
Does Wawarsing get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wawarsing 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)