Is Central Square, NY a Good Place to Live?
Central Square is a small town of 2,079 in New York, with a median household income of $58,824 and a 3.6% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 95 (US average = 100), which is 5% below the national average.
Strengths: Central Square stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B).
Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Central Square is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Central Square 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: 95.2Central Square's overall cost of living index is 95.2, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Central Square costs roughly 5% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Central Square, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $172,400 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $835 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 52.0% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $58,824 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeCentral Square's violent crime rate is 37.6 per 100,000 residents — 90% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Central Square is served primarily by CENTRAL SQUARE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.6:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Central Square, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | CENTRAL SQUARE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| Elementary Schools | 4 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 12.6:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.6% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 92.5% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Central Square sees average highs of 30.9°F in January and 80.8°F in July, with 47.5 inches of annual precipitation and 127.8 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Central Square, NY |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 30.9°F |
| Average High — July | 80.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 127.8" |
Demographics
| Metric | Central Square, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,079 | — |
| Median Age | 41.0 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.6% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 26.8 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 97.9% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.5% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 0.0% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.1% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 22.6% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 17.9% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Central Square
Central Square, NY is covered by 1 ZIP code: