Lowville, N.Y, 1885
Lowville’s story
229 years in pictures
Census counts: 1,943 in 1820, 4,888 in 2020. The archive holds 10 old photos and papers going back to 1885 and 2 maps from 1966 on.
- 1797Lowville is settled
Village of LowvilleNY
Trash & recyclingPopulation
3,309
2025 Census estimate · −0.9% since 2020
Typical home
$205K
+3.9% in a year
Household income
$68K
median
Median age
34.7
years
Jobs based here
1,859
A job hub
TownGrade
B−
#388 of 745 in NY
Is Lowville a good place to live?
Lowville grades B− overall, 388th among New York's 745 graded towns, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. On the other side, the median household income is $68K, and 18% of residents live below the poverty line. It also does better than most on schools: its public schools beat 71% of New York towns on state tests and graduation. A typical home there costs about $205K, 3 years of the county’s $68K median household income. History is its standout character grade: an A, better than 93% of U.S. towns. Lowville’s average trip to work is 15 minutes, below both New York’s towns (25 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). Lowville is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 75% of U.S. towns. Lowville's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 82% of U.S. towns.
What makes Lowville stand out
Where Lowville beats most towns.
0historic places
HistoryA
Settled in 1797
A long history
A history going back 229 years.
Community nonprofits per 1,000 residents
Lowville6
Typical U.S. town3.7
Typical NY town4.2
Civic lifeA−
44% more nonprofits per person
than the typical New York town
Charities, civic groups and human services; churches not counted.
WalkabilityB+
More walkable than 75% of U.S. towns
13.2% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
A job hub
Every workday, about 1,616 people come to Lowville for work
Where Lowville’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
1,859jobs based in Lowville
22%of working residents work in town
15 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Lowville grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New York), ordered by how far Lowville is from typical.
Jobs & incomeDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.4 of 20; 8% of households have no carB+Open →SchoolsB+Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 30% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB+Open →Cost of livingB−Open →HealthLess healthy than 53% of U.S. towns; Lewis County General Hospital 0.8 miles awayB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsConserved land, trails and parksC+Open →History12 notable people born hereAOpen →Civic life6 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsA−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 34.7; 29% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Lowville: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Lowville, and how to reach them.
PowerNational Grid19.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterLowville Village water system1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers96% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpFrom the town’s siteTrash and recycling rulesTown site
Register to voteOnlineIn New York you can register online until 10 days before Election Day, in person until 10 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before and received 10 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereLewis County Board of ElectionsLewis County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Oct 2024
ZIP code1336713367 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Lowville.
Lowville draws workers from Lowville and beyond and gets more snow than nearly all U.S. towns.
HousingCost of living grade B−
For cost of living, Lowville earns a B−
58% of households own their home in Lowville. The typical Lowville home is worth about $205,000, up 3.9% in a year, 61% below the New York typical home. The median rent in Lowville is $765 a month.
$205KZillow home value
| Lowville | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 58% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $765 a month | $1,103 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Lowville$205K
New York$525K
+3.9%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D
About one in three of Lowville’s working residents commute to Lowville
1,859 jobs are based in Lowville, 1.7 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. Jobs based here fell from 2,843 in 2013 to 1,859.
About one in 5 of Lowville’s working residents works in town. Jobs based in Lowville fell to 1,859 in 2023, 984 fewer than in 2013. The top destinations are Lowville (35%), Watertown (7%) and Watertown (3%).
22%work in town
| Lowville | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 22% | 10% | 8% |
| Median household income | $68,000 | $82,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Lowville22%
Lowville35%
Watertown7%
Watertown3%
Wilna3%
15 mi
median commute distance
1,859
jobs based in Lowville
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 75% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B+
Lowville faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 70% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Lowville since 1982.
30risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland flooding
1
paid flood claims since 1982
6
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
In Lowville, a typical July afternoon runs cooler than in the typical New York or U.S. town
The Lowville weather station records that 127 inches of snow fall in a normal winter, more than in 99% of U.S. towns. The Lowville weather station records that about 2 days a year reach 90°, fewer than in 96% of U.S. towns.
Lowville’s July high is 78°F. Lowville has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers.
127″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter11–30°
Spring30–52°
Summer54–76°
Fall37–57°
Oct 1
typical first frost
May 8
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Safety
Crime reported in Lowville
Lowville's reported crime rate is well below New York's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. Violent crime is rare: 1 reported in 2024.
| Lowville | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 2.1 per 1,000 residents | 9.4 | 11.5 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 0.3 per 1,000 residents | 0.8 | 1.7 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Lowville0.3
New York3.9
U.S.3.6
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Lowville2.1
New York17.2
U.S.17.7
1
violent crimes reported in 2024
7
property crimes reported in 2024
FBI crime data, 2024 · crimes reported to police
HealthB−
A larger share of adults have obesity in Lowville than in most of New York or the rest of the country
41% of Lowville adults have obesity. Lowville beats the New York average on 3 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 10. 15% of Lowville adults report frequent physical distress.
47%healthier than U.S. townsB−Health Grade
| Lowville | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 33% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 14% | 14% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 37% | 36% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 25% | 25% |
32 measures vs. New York
3 better19 too close to call10 worse
| What stands out | Lowville | NY |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 5.9% | 7.9% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 13.6% | 17.2% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 18.2% | 12.8% |
Lewis County General Hospital
0.8 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
24th
percentile among NY towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Lowville
19pages on Lowville
The big questions
SchoolsB+Beat 71% of NY districtsSafety0.3 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2024)HealthB−Better than NY on 3 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingB−$205K typical home · up 3.9% in a yearWork & commuteD$68K median household income · 1,859 jobs hereNatural hazardsB+FEMA risk higher than 30% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Lowville; the nearest are
Jefferson Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Watertown26.4 mi$6,264 in-state tuitionSUNY Polytechnic InstituteUniversity or college · Public · Utica46.7 mi$8,625 in-state tuition
About 6 of every 100 Lowville residents are enrolled in college, about the same as New York.
Famous people from Lowville
12 notable people were born in Lowville.
About Lowville
Town in New York, United States
Lowville is a town in Lewis County, New York, United States. The population was 4,888 at the 2020 census, down from 4,982 in 2010. The town is near the center of the county and is southeast of the city of Watertown. The town of Lowville contains a village also named Lowville, which is the county seat. The town is named after Nicholas Low, an early landowner. Low was of Dutch descent, and had emigrated with his wife and three small children from a rural village outside Amsterdam in 1778. Despite popular folk etymology, the name Lowville has nothing to do with its low elevation or the lowing cattle of the many nearby dairy farms.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1797
- Area
- 38 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,240 ft
- Area code
- 315
Questions about Lowville
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Lowville, NY a good place to live?
Lowville grades B− overall, better than 50% of U.S. towns and #388 of 745 in New York. It grades B− for health and B+ for schools. Jobs & income is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Lowville, NY expensive?
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.
What is Lowville, NY known for?
12 notable people were born here, including Edward A. Stevenson and Bradley F. Granger.