Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 1,257, settled in 1798.
The best of DeRuyter’s subject grades are an A for cost of living and civic life and an A− for the outdoors; the weakest is a C− for walkability. Only 13 of New York’s 1,215 towns score higher on cost of living. DeRuyter’s July high is 78°F, below both the New York town median (81°F) and the median of U.S. towns (85°F). 15% of the land in DeRuyter is conserved, where New York’s towns sit at 5.2% and U.S. towns at 4.3%. Only 118 of New York’s 1,187 towns score higher on civic life. Mariposa State Forest, at 1,141 acres with 2.9 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. DeRuyter has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where DeRuyter beats most towns.
1,589 counted in 2010 and 1,276 in 2020; an estimated 1,257 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New York), ordered by how far DeRuyter is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 1,214 in 1820, a peak of 2,009 in 1870, 1,276 in 2020. The archive holds 2 maps from 1899 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in DeRuyter, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in DeRuyter.
The typical DeRuyter home is worth about $257,000, up 5.4% in a year, 51% below the New York typical home.
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Its public schools are run by the Deruyter Central School District. Its two schools are below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deruyter Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–4 | Grades PK–4 | 119 | C− |
| Deruyter High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 5–12 | Grades 5–12 | 187 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NY on state tests and graduation
Most working residents leave DeRuyter for work: only 6% work in town. DeRuyter’s average trip to work is 30 minutes. Jobs based in DeRuyter grew to 290 in 2023, 45 more than in 2013.
| DeRuyter | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 30 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 6.1% | 10% | 8% |
| Median household income | $75,000 | $82,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
DeRuyter has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. The January low in DeRuyter is 13°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. DeRuyter State Forest | 3.5 mi | 911 |
| 2. Mariposa State Forest | 2.9 mi | 1,141 |
| 3. Three Springs State Forest | 2.4 mi | 789 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 57% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
DeRuyter beats the New York average on 7 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 11. 38% of DeRuyter adults have obesity.
| DeRuyter | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 33% | 35% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 34% | 35% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 82% | 81% | 79% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 11% | 12% |
| What stands out | DeRuyter | NY |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 5.8% | 7.9% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 10.9% | 14.5% |
| More adults with COPD | 8.9% | 6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
1 within 15 miles of the center of DeRuyter
About 1 of every 100 DeRuyter residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across New York.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
7 notable people were born in DeRuyter.
Town in New York, United States
DeRuyter is a town in Madison County, New York, United States. The population was 1,276 at the 2020 census, down from 1,589 in 2010. The town is named after Michiel Adriaenszoon de Ruyter, a famous admiral in the Dutch navy. The name de Ruyter (de Ruijter) means "the Rider". The town of DeRuyter has a village in it also called DeRuyter. The town is in the southwestern corner of the county.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A.
7 notable people were born here, including James W. Nye and Lyman J. Gage.