The Town FilesWillet, New York
Town in Cortland County · population 894 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $120,400
- Household income
- $74,042
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 63 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 40.1
Willet is a town of 894 people in Cortland County, New York. The median home is worth $120,400, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks easier by car than 94% of New York towns.
How Willet 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 Willet is worth $120,400, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 1.6 times the median household income of $74,042, which is more affordable than 96% of New York towns. Median rent is $878 a month. 92.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Willet | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $120,400 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $878 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $74,042 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.6× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 92.6% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 16.8% | — |
Who lives in Willet
| People | Willet | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.1 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.7% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 23.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.7% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.0% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 9.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.9% | — |
| Work from home | 6.2% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 37.0 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.5% | 91.1% |
Weather in Willet
July highs average 81.3°F and January lows 15.3°F. About 41.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 62.5 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 150 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Willet since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on October 14, 1989 about 8.3 miles from the town center and killed 2. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 3 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 28, 2011.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 14 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 17, 2021.
Severe weather in Cortland County since 1996
Cortland County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 29, 2024 | Flood | DR-4814: Severe Storm, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| October 8, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4625: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Fred |
| March 20, 2020 | Biological | DR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3434: Covid-19 |
| December 19, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4472: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Cortland County
Cortland County had 16,911 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,778 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in Willet itself the ACS puts it at 14.4%.
Towns near Willet
- Marathon, NY4.6 mi · 2,038 people · home $136,100
- Cincinnatus, NY5.3 mi · 902 people · home $123,800
- Marathon, NY5.9 mi · 892 people · home $124,800
- Triangle, NY6.8 mi · 2,809 people · home $124,400
- Freetown, NY7.0 mi · 767 people · home $141,800
- Lisle, NY8.4 mi · 2,691 people · home $116,800
- Smithville, NY8.7 mi · 1,255 people · home $173,200
- Whitney Point, NY8.9 mi · 960 people · home $140,800
Willet questions
Is Willet, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Willet scores better for retirees than 8% of New York towns and quieter than 63%. 14.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.1).
How much does a house cost in Willet?
The median owner-occupied home in Willet is valued at $120,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $74,042, so homes cost about 1.6 times income. Median rent is $878 a month.
What is the weather like in Willet?
July highs average 81.3°F and January lows 15.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.3 inches of precipitation a year and 62.5 inches of snow.
Does Willet get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Willet since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on October 14, 1989. 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)