Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Fulton gives you more for your money than most places: homes are within reach, about $185K for a typical one, or 2.5 years of the Syracuse metro’s $75K median household income. It grades C− overall, 636th among New York's 745 graded towns. The low prices come with trade-offs. Residents are less healthy than 86% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates, and the median household income is $52K, and 24% of residents live below the poverty line. On the plus side, 0% of its land is conserved. History is its standout character grade: an A, better than 91% of U.S. towns, with 8 places on the National Register. 24% of residents live below the poverty line in Fulton, above both the New York town median (9.5%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). Its National Register listings include US Post Office-Fulton and CHANCELLOR (tugboat). Fulton is more walkable than 83% of U.S. towns.
Where Fulton beats most towns.
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1866 and 4 maps from 1900 on.
8 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New York), ordered by how far Fulton is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in Fulton, 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 Fulton.
Fulton gets more snow than nearly all U.S. towns, is healthier than towns with similar incomes and trades workers with Syracuse and other neighbors.
The median property tax bill is $3,106, against $6,582 across New York, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
54% of households own their home in Fulton. Typical home values rose 5.4% in the year to September 2026. The median rent in Fulton is $887 a month.
| Fulton | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 54% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $887 a month | $1,103 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Its public schools are run by the Fulton City School District. Two of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is G Ray Bodley High School, with 938 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fulton Junior High SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 7–8 | Grades 7–8 | 472 | D |
| G Ray Bodley High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 938 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NY on state tests and graduation
Against the 6,478 U.S. towns with household incomes like Fulton’s, it is less healthy than 69%, so its D isn’t only a matter of income.
20% of Fulton adults smoke cigarettes. Fulton beats the New York average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 20. 33% of Fulton adults get no exercise outside work.
| Fulton | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 13% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 16% | 17% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 25% | 25% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 37% | 36% |
| What stands out | Fulton | NY |
|---|---|---|
| More smokers | 19.7% | 11.3% |
| More adults with COPD | 10.2% | 6% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 19.5% | 12.8% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 71% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 7 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Fulton.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The Fulton weather station records that 159 inches of snow fall in a normal winter, more than in 99% of U.S. towns.
Fulton has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Fulton’s July high is 81°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Fulton has about as many jobs (4,419) as working residents, but only 851 people both live and work here. The average commute takes 21.8 minutes, against 32.6 across New York.
Most working residents leave Fulton for work: only 18% work in town. The top destinations are Syracuse (11%), Oswego (9%) and Clay (6%). Half commute less than 19 miles.
| Fulton | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $52,000 | $82,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 18% | 10% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Reported crimes fell from 191 to 116 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Fulton. Close and well known come first.
24 mi Stadium & arenaJMA Wireless Dome
19 mi LakeOnondaga Lake
11 mi LandmarkFort Ontario
23 mi Stadium & arenaOncenter War Memorial Arena
21 mi Stadium & arenaAlliance Bank Stadium
29 mi State parkGreen Lakes State ParkJMA Wireless Dome: Jimhoward03, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Onondaga Lake: R. A. Nonenmacher, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Fort Ontario: Ad Meskens, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Oncenter War Memorial Arena: Crazyale, Public domain · Alliance Bank Stadium: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0 · Green Lakes State Park: Ebedgert at English Wikipedia, Public domain
1 within 15 miles of the center of Fulton
About 3 of every 100 Fulton residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across New York.
8 places in Fulton on the National Register of Historic Places.
2 towns share a border with Fulton.
Volney and Granby report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Fulton with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Fulton grades C− overall, better than 19% of U.S. towns and #636 of 745 in New York. It grades D for health, C+ for safety and C− for schools. Health is its weak spot, with a D.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
