The Town FilesWilna, New York
Town in Jefferson County · population 5,732 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $137,400
- Household income
- $60,213
- Jan low / Jul high
- 11° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 149 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 29.1
Wilna is a town of 5,732 people in Jefferson County, New York. The median home is worth $137,400, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks more of a college town than 87% of New York towns, easier by car than 80% of New York towns, better for young professionals than 78% of New York towns.
How Wilna 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 Wilna is worth $137,400, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 2.3 times the median household income of $60,213, which is more affordable than 72% of New York towns. Median rent is $946 a month. 51.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wilna | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $137,400 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $946 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $60,213 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.3× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 51.8% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1952 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Wilna
| People | Wilna | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 29.1 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.2% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 31.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.7% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 19.2% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 15.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.1% | — |
| Work from home | 4.1% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 24.2 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.9% | 91.1% |
Weather in Wilna
July highs average 79.8°F and January lows 10.7°F. About 44.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 149.2 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 144 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Wilna since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an F0, struck on August 5, 2003 about 8.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 5, 2003.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on August 18, 2008.
Severe weather in Jefferson County since 1996
Jefferson County has been included in 21 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 |
| November 20, 2022 | Winter Storm | EM-3589: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 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 Jefferson County
Jefferson County had 40,308 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,545 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Wilna itself the ACS puts it at 5.2%.
Towns near Wilna
- Carthage, NY5.1 mi · 3,236 people · home $131,200
- West Carthage, NY5.9 mi · 1,780 people · home $192,100
- Great Bend, NY6.1 mi · 807 people · home $172,600
- Champion, NY8.1 mi · 4,562 people · home $198,900
- Philadelphia, NY8.3 mi · 1,975 people · home $182,000
- Philadelphia, NY9.1 mi · 1,098 people · home $160,400
- Fort Drum, NY9.9 mi · 15,896 people · home —
- Antwerp, NY10.0 mi · 506 people · home $128,100
Wilna questions
Is Wilna, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wilna scores better for retirees than 19% of New York towns and quieter than 19%. 10.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 29.1).
How much does a house cost in Wilna?
The median owner-occupied home in Wilna is valued at $137,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $60,213, so homes cost about 2.3 times income. Median rent is $946 a month.
What is the weather like in Wilna?
July highs average 79.8°F and January lows 10.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.4 inches of precipitation a year and 149.2 inches of snow.
Does Wilna get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Wilna since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on August 5, 2003. 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)