Places › New York › Jamestown

Living in Jamestown, NY

Small city in New York

Jamestown is a small city in New York, home to about 28,000 people, with 114,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, much of daily life is walkable. Life moves at a relaxed pace, and homes are mostly apartments.

Is Jamestown a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $127k and rents for $1,170 a month
  • Mild summers: highs around 79°F
  • Great outdoors: plenty of parks
  • Low natural disaster risk: 9 federally declared disasters since 2000

👎 Cons

  • Cloudier than most places
  • Fewer graduates: 23% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
  • Smaller job market: about 114,000 people live within 31 mi
  • Higher taxes: about $3,080 state income tax per resident, 3.06% property tax

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Jamestown ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
28,000
114,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
35°F / 79°F
Average daily highs · 98″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$127k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$1,170/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
108
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$3,080
State income tax per resident · 3.06% property tax
Safety
1.8× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
9 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding
Top-rated hospitals
0
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Public schools
Poor
Tests well below US average · 12 students per teacher
Adults with a degree
23%
No research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
BUF
63 mi away

Living in Jamestown: common questions

What is the cost of living in Jamestown?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $127k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,170 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 108, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Jamestown?

New York collects about $3,080 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 3.06% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Jamestown safe?

Violent crime is well above the national rate (1.8× in FBI 2019 data).

How are the schools in Jamestown?

Public schools in Jamestown test well below the US average in math and reading (2018–19 state tests, put on one national scale with NAEP), with about 12 students per teacher.

What is the weather like in Jamestown?

Jamestown has long, snowy winters: winter days average around 35°F and summer days around 79°F, with roughly 98″ of snow a year.

Does Jamestown get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding: 9 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.32 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Jamestown?

The nearest major airport is BUF, about 63 mi away.

How Jamestown scores

Each bar compares Jamestown with the other 1,990 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City sizeSmall town Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quietUrban & suburban mix Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting aroundMostly walkable Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or natureNature on the doorstep Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️ClimateLong, snowy winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of livingAffordable Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️PaceRelaxed Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝CommunitySome community feel AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡HousingMostly apartments ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housingExcellent
💸Low taxesPoor
💼Job marketPoor
🏥HealthcareBelow average
🏫SchoolsPoor
🎓EducationPoor
🧸Kids & familyPoor
🐕Dog-friendlyAverage
⛰️OutdoorsExcellent
🎭CultureBelow average
👮SafetyModerate crime
🌪️Few natural disastersGood
☀️SunnyPoor
🌤️Mild summersExcellent
✈️AirportAverage

Places like Jamestown

These places have the most similar overall profile across all 24 aspects.

The circle is each place's all-round score out of 100: the average of its 15 quality scores, from red (poor) to green (excellent).

Utica, NYSmall city38 $214k$1,410/moModerate crime Union, NYSmall city45 $157k$1,410/moNo crime data Auburn, NYSmall city46 $228k$1,690/moNo crime data Binghamton, NYSmall city41 $192k$2,190/moHigher crime Wilkes-Barre, PASmall city41 $183k$1,630/moModerate crime Scranton, PASmall city40 $203k$1,630/moHigher crime

Nearby

Erie, PASmall city · 43 mi away52 $202k$1,500/moSafe Millcreek, PASmall city · 45 mi away61 $254k$1,500/moNo crime data Hamburg, NYSuburb · 48 mi away64 $275k$1,640/moVery safe Orchard Park, NYSuburb · 52 mi away64 $379k$1,640/moVery safe West Seneca, NYSuburb · 57 mi away60 $250k$1,640/moVery safe Buffalo, NYMid-size city · 58 mi away50 $246k$1,640/moHigher crime

See all the best places to live in New York.

Is Jamestown right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

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Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.