Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Massena grades C− overall, ranked 628th of 745 in New York, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. It has 18 miles of trail. On the other side, the median household income is $55K, and 23% of residents live below the poverty line. 42% of working residents work locally in Massena, above both New York’s towns (10%) and U.S. towns (8%). Only 42 of New York’s 1,213 towns score lower on health. The biggest place to walk is Robert Moses State Park (Thousand Islands), 2,487 acres with 4.6 miles of trail.
Where Massena beats most towns.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New York), ordered by how far Massena is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 944 in 1820, a peak of 21,346 in 1960, 12,433 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1930 and 3 maps from 1906 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Massena, 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 Massena.
Massena is healthier than towns with similar incomes and has commutes shorter than most of New York.
Against the 7,294 U.S. towns with household incomes like Massena’s, it is less healthy than 64%, so its C− isn’t only a matter of income.
44% of adults have obesity in Massena. Only 10 of the 755 New York towns we compare have a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Massena. 14% of adults have diabetes in Massena.
| Massena | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 33% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 14% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 34% | 35% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 25% | 25% |
| What stands out | Massena | NY |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 6.7% | 7.9% |
| More adults with COPD | 10.2% | 6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its public schools are run by the Massena Central School District. Two of its 6 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nightengale Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 454 | C |
| The Holy Name of Jesus Academy PrivateLargest high schoolGrades PK–12 | Grades PK–12 | 85 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NY on state tests and graduation
| Massena | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 8.5% | 5.2% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.3 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Robert Moses State Park (Thousand Islands) | 4.6 mi | 2,487 |
| 2. Massena Springs Park | 0.3 mi | 4 |
| 3. Indian Meadows Forest Preserve Detached Parcel | — | 40 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Massena has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. The July high in Massena is 81°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
The average commute for its 4,177 working residents takes 18.8 minutes, against 32.6 across New York.
Massena’s average trip to work is 19 minutes. Since 2013, Massena has lost 861 jobs, to 4,823 in 2023. The top destinations are Akwesasne (8%), Potsdam (8%) and Canton (4%).
| Massena | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 19 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $55,000 | $82,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 54% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Massena since 2003.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
None within 15 miles of Massena; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Massena residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across New York.
13 notable people were born in Massena.
Town of Massena, New York
Massena is a town in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. Massena is along the county's northern border, just south of the St. Lawrence River and the Three Nations Crossing of the Canada–United States border. The population was 12,433 at the 2020 census. The town of Massena contains a village also named Massena.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
4 towns share a border with Massena.
All 3 graded towns on its borders grade higher than its C−; Louisville (C−) is closest.
| Town | NY rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massena | #628 | C− | B | — | B− | C− |
| Louisville | #618 | C− | B | — | B− | C |
| Brasher | #601 | C− | B+ | — | B− | C |
| Norfolk | #400 | B− | A− | A+ | C | C− |
| Akwesasne | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Massena, Louisville and Brasher report no FBI crime data of their own. Akwesasne isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Massena with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Massena grades C− overall, better than 20% of U.S. towns and #628 of 745 in New York. It grades C− for health and B− for schools. Jobs & income 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.
Massena was established in 1792. 13 notable people were born here, including Jim Deshaies and Charles E. Belknap.