Is Brewster, NY a Good Place to Live?
Brewster is a small town of 2,506 in New York, with a median household income of $55,818 and a 1.2% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 112 (US average = 100), which is 12% above the national average.
Strengths: Brewster stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B+), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living. Whether Brewster is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Brewster city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 112.5Brewster's overall cost of living index is 112.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Brewster costs roughly 12% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Brewster, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $355,800 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,541 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 19.4% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $55,818 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeBrewster's violent crime rate is 40.0 per 100,000 residents — 89% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Brewster is served primarily by BREWSTER CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT. The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.4:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Brewster, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | BREWSTER CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| Elementary Schools | 2 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 10.4:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 22.3% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 81.2% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Brewster sees average highs of 33.4°F in January and 77.9°F in July, with 50.4 inches of annual precipitation and 49.3 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Brewster, NY |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 33.4°F |
| Average High — July | 77.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.3" |
Demographics
| Metric | Brewster, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,506 | — |
| Median Age | 32.9 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 1.2% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 25.5 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 44.5% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 2.4% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 51.8% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.8% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 18.6% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 12.3% | 16.8% |