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Living in
Oneonta.
About
Life in Oneonta
Living in Oneonta means embracing a college town where the energy of two schools—SUNY Oneonta and Hartwick College—keeps things young and intellectually active, but the reality is you're living in a place shaped by student life whether you're connected to campus or not. The median household income sits around $61,000 and rent averages under $1,000 a month, which is genuinely affordable for upstate New York, though the median home value of about $184,000 means homeownership is accessible if you're looking to build equity. The job market is tight (unemployment is 4.3%), but opportunities tend to cluster around education, healthcare, and small business rather than major corporate employers—so if your career depends on a specific industry, you'll want to research carefully or plan for some commuting toward Binghamton or Albany.
Oneonta at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
23.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
16.6%
Foreign-Born
3.3%
Broadband Internet
90.0%
of households
Population Growth
+19.7%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics3.3% foreign-born, most often from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Who lives in Oneonta: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Oneonta, the largest foreign-born group is from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan (15.7%), and 3.4% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
9.3%
of residents
65 and Older
14.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
22.5%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
41.6%
of households
Married Couples
31.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
1.95
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 37% below NY average
Rent, home values, and income in Oneonta
In Oneonta, rent runs 37% below the NY average, and home values are 57% below the NY average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
46.1%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
18.7%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$3,600
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
46.0%
of occupied homes are owned
Vacant Homes
17.4%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for NY
Unemployment in Oneonta
Unemployment in Otsego County, which includes Oneonta, is close to the NY average.
Unemployment rate
Oneonta: Otsego County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Otsego County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Oneonta Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute15.3 min avg
How Oneonta residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Oneonta, most residents drive alone to work (66%), and 83% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 50 mi
Greater Binghamton/Edwin A Link field (BGM)
Regional airport · few flights15k passengers boarded in 2025
- 130 mi
Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
Major hub23.5M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 50% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Oneonta runs 50% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
164.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,063.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Oneonta City Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 7 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
75.8 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Otsego County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Otsego County, which includes Oneonta, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 7 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | $113,500 |
| 2024 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | $86,000 |
| 2023 | 21 | Thunderstorm Wind | $123,000 |
| 2022 | 18 | Thunderstorm Wind | $119,800 |
| 2021 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | $158,000 |
| 2020 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $163,000 |
| 2019 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | $260,000 |
| 2018 | 6 | Heavy Snow | $115,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Otsego County, county-wide
Air Quality38 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2023)
Data not yet available
Climate77°F summers, 14°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Oneonta has mild summers (avg high 77°F) and very cold winters (avg low 14°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
54°/30°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
77°/53°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
58°/37°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
33°/14°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
44.8"
Annual Snowfall
83.0"
Hot Days/Year
2
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
167
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
158
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 30°F | 11°F | 3.30" |
| Feb | 32°F | 12°F | 2.75" |
| Mar | 41°F | 19°F | 3.50" |
| Apr | 55°F | 30°F | 3.85" |
| May | 67°F | 41°F | 3.66" |
| Jun | 74°F | 51°F | 4.66" |
| Jul | 78°F | 55°F | 4.48" |
| Aug | 77°F | 54°F | 3.99" |
| Sep | 70°F | 47°F | 3.78" |
| Oct | 58°F | 37°F | 3.89" |
| Nov | 46°F | 28°F | 3.28" |
| Dec | 35°F | 19°F | 3.61" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Oneonta
Oneonta has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
3.3%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Aurelia Osborn Fox Memorial Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education9.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Oneonta
Oneonta's student/teacher ratio is 9.9:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 47.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
4
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
47.4%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
9.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Oneonta
Public · 4-year · 4,643 students · in-state tuition $8,831 · 72% graduate · median earnings $66,840 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,087 students · in-state tuition $22,000 · 51% graduate · median earnings $66,557 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River, 55 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Oneonta
Oneonta has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River (55 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River
Scenic & Recreational River
55 mi awayFort Stanwix National Monument
National Monument
56 mi awayThomas Cole National Historic Site
National Historic Site
64 mi awayMartin Van Buren National Historic Site
National Historic Site
70 mi awayVanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site
National Historic Site
73 mi awayHome Of Franklin D Roosevelt National Historic Site
National Historic Site
75 mi awayEleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site
National Historic Site
77 mi awaySteamtown National Historic Site
National Historic Site
79 mi awayPublic Libraries in Oneonta
Huntington Memorial Library
62 Chestnut Street, Oneonta
Cities Near Oneonta
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Oneonta?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Oneonta FAQ
Is Oneonta, New York affordable?⌄
Oneonta's median rent is $1,021/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $61,111/year. Median home value is $184,100.
Is Oneonta, New York safe?⌄
Oneonta's violent crime rate was 164 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1063 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Oneonta, New York?⌄
Otsego County, which includes Oneonta, has an unemployment rate of 4.3%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Oneonta, New York?⌄
The cost of living in Oneonta is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,021/month and median household income is $61,111/year. The median home value is $184,100. About 46% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Oneonta, New York?⌄
The average commute in Oneonta is 15 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from