Is Watkins Glen, NY a Good Place to Live?
Watkins Glen is a small town of 1,777 in New York, with a median household income of $44,542 and a 6.3% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 95 (US average = 100), which is 5% below the national average.
Strengths: Watkins Glen stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (A-), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Watkins Glen is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Watkins Glen 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: 95.4Watkins Glen's overall cost of living index is 95.4, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Watkins Glen costs roughly 5% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Watkins Glen, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $167,700 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $754 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.4% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $44,542 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeWatkins Glen's violent crime rate is 33.7 per 100,000 residents — 91% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Watkins Glen is served primarily by WATKINS GLEN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.3:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Watkins Glen, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | WATKINS GLEN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| Elementary Schools | 1 | — |
| Middle Schools | N/A | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 11.3:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 28.2% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 88.2% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Watkins Glen sees average highs of 30.2°F in January and 79.1°F in July, with 38.9 inches of annual precipitation and 41.8 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Watkins Glen, NY |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 30.2°F |
| Average High — July | 79.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 38.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 41.8" |
Demographics
| Metric | Watkins Glen, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,777 | — |
| Median Age | 48.4 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.3% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 16.9 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 89.5% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 3.1% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 2.0% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 5.5% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 15.9% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 29.9% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Watkins Glen
Watkins Glen, NY is covered by 1 ZIP code: