Is Penn Yan, NY a Good Place to Live?
Penn Yan is a small town of 5,134 in New York, with a median household income of $50,878 and a 3.3% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 98 (US average = 100), which is 2% below the national average.
Strengths: Penn Yan stands out for below-average home prices, solid school ratings (A-), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Penn Yan is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Penn Yan 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: 97.7Penn Yan's overall cost of living index is 97.7, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Penn Yan costs roughly 2% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Penn Yan, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $137,000 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $645 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 59.2% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $50,878 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafePenn Yan's violent crime rate is 48.2 per 100,000 residents — 87% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Penn Yan is served primarily by PENN YAN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT. The student-to-teacher ratio is 8.6:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Penn Yan, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | PENN YAN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| Elementary Schools | 1 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 8.6:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.0% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 87.9% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Penn Yan sees average highs of 32.7°F in January and 81.4°F in July, with 30.2 inches of annual precipitation and 56.6 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Penn Yan, NY |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 32.7°F |
| Average High — July | 81.4°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 30.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 56.6" |
Demographics
| Metric | Penn Yan, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 5,134 | — |
| Median Age | 47.8 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.3% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 19.2 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 93.6% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.3% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 3.6% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 1.6% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 15.8% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 26.3% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Penn Yan
Penn Yan, NY is covered by 1 ZIP code: