The Town FilesWilmington, New York
Community in Essex County · population 843 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $307,000
- Household income
- $90,625
- Jan low / Jul high
- 7° / 74°
- Snow a year
- 93 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 43.1
Wilmington is a community of 843 people in Essex County, New York. The median home is worth $307,000, above the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks better for a vacation home than 96% of New York towns, quieter than 94% of New York towns, better for retirees than 91% of New York towns.
How Wilmington 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 Wilmington is worth $307,000, above the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $90,625, which is more affordable than 36% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,179 a month. 78.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wilmington | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $307,000 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $1,179 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $90,625 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.4× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 78.8% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 25.7% | — |
Who lives in Wilmington
| People | Wilmington | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.1 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.8% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 18.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.4% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.2% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 9.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.0% | — |
| Work from home | 15.8% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 31.7 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.0% | 91.1% |
Weather in Wilmington
July highs average 74.2°F and January lows 6.5°F. About 43.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 92.8 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 184 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wilmington since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 6, 1952 about 5.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 16, 1958.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on July 9, 2007.
Severe weather in Essex County since 1996
Essex County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 24, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4825: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Debby |
| August 29, 2024 | Flood | DR-4814: Severe Storm, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| July 22, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4723: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| March 20, 2020 | Biological | DR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3434: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Essex County
Essex County had 14,768 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,601 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Wilmington itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Towns near Wilmington
- Wilmington, NY3.8 mi · 1,139 people · home $322,600
- Jay, NY6.0 mi · 2,486 people · home $196,900
- Au Sable Forks, NY8.6 mi · 509 people · home $130,800
- St. Armand, NY9.4 mi · 1,446 people · home $241,200
- Black Brook, NY9.5 mi · 1,453 people · home $202,200
- Lake Placid, NY11.0 mi · 2,205 people · home $400,000
- Lewis, NY12.6 mi · 1,293 people · home $181,000
- Franklin, NY15.5 mi · 1,150 people · home $226,700
Wilmington questions
Is Wilmington, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wilmington scores better for retirees than 91% of New York towns and quieter than 94%. 22.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.1).
How much does a house cost in Wilmington?
The median owner-occupied home in Wilmington is valued at $307,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $90,625, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $1,179 a month.
What is the weather like in Wilmington?
July highs average 74.2°F and January lows 6.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.8 inches of precipitation a year and 92.8 inches of snow.
Does Wilmington get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wilmington since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 6, 1952. 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)