Untitled photo, 2007
Milford’s story
221 years in pictures
Census counts: 2,505 in 1820, 3,044 in 2010. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2007 and 4 maps from 1907 on.
- 1805Milford is settled
MilfordNY
Population
2,748
2025 Census estimate · −2.3% since 2020
Median home value
$171K
Census ACS
Household income
$73K
median
Median age
43.5
years
Jobs based here
686
A commuter town
TownGrade
C+
#439 of 745 in NY
Is Milford a good place to live?
What it saves you on housing, it gives back elsewhere. Its weakest is schools: its schools rank behind 84% of the state's. With a C+ overall, Milford is better than 44% of U.S. towns. That places it 439th of 745 in New York. It lags on hazard risk as well: FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 78% of U.S. communities, with inland flooding at the top. Where it does best is cost of living: a typical home costs about $171K, 2.5 years of the Oneonta area’s $69K median household income. Add health to its strengths: it is healthier than just over two thirds of U.S. towns. The biggest park or preserve is Arnold Lake State Forest, at 476 acres.
Figures: home values, Zillow · incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24 · health, CDC PLACES · schools, state test and graduation results · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenStreetMap.
What makes Milford stand out
Where Milford beats most towns.
A commuter town
92% of working residents leave Milford for work
Where Milford’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
686jobs based in Milford
8%of working residents work in town
14 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Milford grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New York), ordered by how far Milford is from typical.
Hazard riskInland flooding tops the listC−Open →SchoolsBased on how pupils do in exams and testsC−Open →Cost of livingHomes are easier to afford than in most townsB+Open →HealthAurelia Osborn Fox Memorial Hospital 7.2 miles awayB+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 4.8 of 20; 0.9% of households have no car; 3.8% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC+Open →Jobs & income$73K median household incomeBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors8% conserved landBOpen →History4 notable people born hereBOpen →Civic life3.8 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsA−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Milford: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Milford, and how to reach them.
PowerNew York State Elec & Gas22.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterMilford Village water system1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers95% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Milford’s trash rules yet
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 hereOtsego County Board of ElectionsOtsego County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP codes13820, 12116, 13807, 1383413820 40% · 12116 33% · 13807 22% · 13834 6%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 Milford.
Milford gets more snow than nearly all U.S. towns, but it carries more natural-hazard risk than most of New York (mostly inland flooding) and has lost a quarter or more of its jobs in ten years.
SchoolsC−
Milford’s grade for schools is a C−
The public schools here belong to the Milford Central School District. The largest public high school is Milford Central School, with 337 students. Its two schools are below.
16%of NY districts it outscoresC−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| The School at Springbrook PrivateLargest school before high school | 72 | – | |
| Milford Central SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades PK–12 | Grades PK–12 | 337 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NY on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B
With only 0.6 jobs per working resident, most people in Milford work out of town
Jobs based here fell from 1,004 in 2013 to 686. The average commute for its 1,237 working residents takes 23.2 minutes, against 32.6 across New York.
The share of workers in Milford who work from home: 6.7%. Just 8% of the town’s working residents have a job in town. Employers in Milford shed 318 jobs between 2013 and 2023, to 686. 6.8% of residents live below the poverty line locally, against 9.5% in New York’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns.
8%work in town
| Milford | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 6.7% | 12% | 11% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.8% | 9.5% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $73,000 | $82,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Milford8%
Otsego16%
Oneonta10%
Oneonta10%
New York6%
14 mi
median commute distance
686
jobs based in Milford
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 42% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C−
Milford has a high natural-hazard risk, chiefly from inland flooding
FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 95% of New York towns, with expected losses of about $636 per resident a year; that rating is what its C− for hazard risk is built on.
FEMA puts 81% of Milford’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 13% to cold waves. The national flood insurance program has paid 12 claims in the town since 1979. Federal disaster aid has reached households in Milford after 3 declared disasters, most recently in 2011.
78risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold waves
12
paid flood claims since 1979
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthB+
Milford is healthier than two in three U.S. towns
Among adults in Milford, 34% feel lonely and 18% report frequent mental distress. Against the New York average, Milford comes out ahead on 5 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 6. 30% of Milford adults have obesity.
68%healthier than U.S. townsB+Health Grade
| Milford | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 33% | 35% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 32% | 33% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 16% | 17% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 34% | 35% |
32 measures vs. New York
5 better21 too close to call6 worse
| What stands out | Milford | NY |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 5.9% | 7.9% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 11.1% | 14.5% |
| More adults with COPD | 7.3% | 6% |
Aurelia Osborn Fox Memorial Hospital
7.2 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
50th
percentile among NY towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
Expect snowy winters and pleasant summers in Milford
The Emmons weather station, 6 miles away, records that 83 inches of snow fall in a normal winter, more than in 95% of U.S. towns.
Milford’s midsummer high is 79°F, below both the New York town median (81°F) and the median of U.S. towns (85°F).
83″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter16–33°
Spring32–55°
Summer54–77°
Fall38–58°
Oct 3
typical first frost
May 17
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
OutdoorsB
Conserved land covers 8.5% of Milford
Walkers can cover 5.7 miles of trail in 6 parks and preserves. For Milford, the concentration of trails is 0.1 miles per square mile.
#511for trails in NY
| Milford | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 8.5% | 5.2% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
8.5%
conserved · 2,540 of 29,999 acres
5.7 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Robert V. Riddell State Park | 2.6 mi | 171 |
| 2. Goodyear Lake Waterway Access | 0.9 mi | 28 |
| 3. Arnold Lake State Forest | — | 476 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HousingCost of living grade B+
A home in Milford sells for about $201K at the median
The median property tax bill is $2,823, against $6,582 across New York, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
Milford’s rent at the middle of the market stands at $982 a month. 84% of households own their home in the town.
$201Kmedian sale price
| Milford | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 84% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $982 a month | $1,103 a month | $1,185 a month |
0
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Nearby attractions
All 34 attractions →National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum and 10 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Milford. Close and well known come first.
Big draw11 mi MuseumNational Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum315K visitors a year33 mi LandmarkFort Dayton31 mi CaveHowe Caverns
12 mi MuseumFenimore Art Museum38 mi Ski areaBelleayre Mountain Ski Center66 runs · 1,374 ft vertical
10 mi MuseumHanford MillSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum: Beyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Fenimore Art Museum: Ser Amantio di Nicolao, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Hanford Mill: Thomas L. Hayward, CC BY-SA 3.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Milford
19pages on Milford
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Milford
SUNY OneontaUniversity or college · Public · Oneonta6.9 mi$8,831 in-state tuitionHartwick CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Oneonta7.7 mi$54,962 tuition
About 4 of every 100 Milford residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across New York.
Famous people from Milford
4 notable people were born in Milford.
Milford’s neighbors
5 towns share a border with Milford.
MiddlefieldOneontaMarylandHartwickLaurensMilford
How the neighbors grade
| Town | NY rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milford | #439 | C+ | B+ | — | C− | B+ |
| Middlefield | — | — | C+ | — | B− | A− |
| Oneonta | #611 | C− | C+ | — | C− | B+ |
| Maryland | — | — | B | — | D | B− |
| Hartwick | — | — | B+ | — | B | A− |
| Laurens | — | — | B− | — | C− | B |
Middlefield, Maryland, Hartwick and Laurens have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Milford, Middlefield, Oneonta, Maryland, Hartwick and Laurens report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Milford with a neighbor →
Questions about Milford
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Milford, NY a good place to live?
Milford grades C+ overall, better than 44% of U.S. towns and #439 of 745 in New York. It grades B+ for health and C− for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a C−.
Is Milford, NY expensive?
Not for the area. The typical home is worth about $171,000, 67% below the New York typical home. 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 Milford, NY known for?
4 notable people were born here, including John Hyde Sweet and David F. Wilber.