The Town Files

West End, New York

Community in Otsego County · population 1,864 (2020 Census)

Map: where West End is in New YorkWest End
Median home
$151,100
Household income
$71,563
Jan low / Jul high
11° / 78°
Snow a year
83 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
4
Median age
50.3

West End is a community of 1,864 people in Otsego County, New York. The median home is worth $151,100, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks quieter than 85% of New York towns, better for cycling than 84% of New York towns, better for retirees than 83% of New York towns.

West End in our rankings:

How West End 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.

West End lifestyle rankings vs other New York townsRetirement83rd pctFamilies19th pctQuiet85th pctWalkability49th pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals74th pctVibrancy64th pctHip & trendy69th pctCollege town1st pctUpscale57th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCycling84th pctTransit64th pctDriving25th 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 West End is worth $151,100, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 2.1 times the median household income of $71,563, which is more affordable than 80% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,157 a month. 69.2% of households own their home.

West End vs Otsego County vs typical New York townWest EndOtsego CountyTypical New York townHome value$151,100$179,100$217,700Household income$71,563$68,885$80,740Monthly rent$1,157$987$1,080
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of New York towns with 500+ people.
HousingWest EndTypical New York town
Median home value$151,100$217,700
Median rent$1,157$1,080
Median household income$71,563$80,740
Home value ÷ income2.1×2.8×
Homeownership69.2%79.5%
Median year built19551965
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in West End

PeopleWest EndTypical New York town
Median age50.343.5
Age 65 and over28.3%20.4%
Under 1814.5%—
Bachelor's degree or higher45.5%30.4%
Below the poverty line20.9%9.3%
Veterans6.6%—
Born outside the U.S.9.9%—
Work from home17.8%11.1%
Average commute27.2 min26.0 min
Homes with broadband100.0%91.1%

Weather in West End

July highs average 78.4°F and January lows 11.4°F. About 44.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 83.0 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 167 nights at or below freezing.

West End monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°32° freezing30°11°Jan32°12°Feb41°19°Mar55°30°Apr67°41°May74°51°Jun78°55°Jul77°54°Aug70°47°Sep58°37°Oct46°28°Nov35°19°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue3.320.72.819.53.514.53.93.33.70.34.74.54.03.83.90.83.36.33.617.6
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Emmons station (4.2 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of West End since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 31, 1998 about 3.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 30, 2026.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of West End by decade01950s01960s01970s11980s21990s02000s02010s12020s
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 28 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 15, 2009.

Severe weather in Otsego County since 1996

Storm events in Otsego County since 1996 by typeHail131Flood11Tornado6High Wind14Ice Storm11Heavy Snow70Flash Flood67Winter Storm26
NOAA Storm Events Database, Otsego County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 2 deaths recorded.

Otsego County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
August 22, 2021HurricaneEM-3565: Hurricane Henri
March 20, 2020BiologicalDR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3434: Covid-19
December 19, 2019Severe StormDR-4472: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding
July 12, 2017SnowstormDR-4322: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm

Jobs and pay in Otsego County

Otsego County had 22,197 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,346 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in West End itself the ACS puts it at 11.1%.

Largest industries in Otsego CountyHealth care & social assistan…5,435 jobs · $85,269Retail2,789 jobs · $38,907Hotels & restaurants2,364 jobs · $28,660Manufacturing1,199 jobs · $59,731Finance & insurance1,083 jobs · $82,307Education913 jobs · $51,383
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Otsego County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%2000200420082012201620202023Otsego 3.8%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near West End

West End questions

Is West End, New York a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, West End scores better for retirees than 83% of New York towns and quieter than 85%. 28.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 50.3).

How much does a house cost in West End?

The median owner-occupied home in West End is valued at $151,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $71,563, so homes cost about 2.1 times income. Median rent is $1,157 a month.

What is the weather like in West End?

July highs average 78.4°F and January lows 11.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.8 inches of precipitation a year and 83.0 inches of snow.

Does West End get tornadoes?

4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of West End since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 31, 1998. The typical New York town has had 5.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to West End's Census boundary (GEOID 3679796). 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.