#1Otsego
Otsego County · 3,621 peopleHistory grade, among the top in the U.S.·Overall C+ · #446 of 745 in NY
Otsego, #1 on this list · Chapin Memorial Church · Photo: Doug Kerr from Albany, New York, United States · CC BY-SA 2.0New York rankings · History
Most historic towns in New York
Otsego ranks first on history among New York’s 758 towns of 2,500+; 483 of the 758 grade A− or better on history nationally.
The History grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): the town’s founding era, homes built before 1940 (Census ACS) and its National Register places. How grades work
#1A+
#2St. Johnsville
Montgomery County · 2,589 peopleHistory grade, among the top in the U.S.·Overall C− · #654 of 745 in NY
#3Newburgh
Orange County · 28,059 peopleHistory grade, among the top in the U.S.·Overall D− · #742 of 745 in NY
All 758 towns
History grade, best first (the letter is national). Towns with the same score share a rank (T = tied; 9 towns here); the overall grade and state rank are beside each.
758 towns ranked. Not here? See why a town may be missing.
#TownGradeOverall
54JamestownChautauqua County · 27,663 peopleA+better than 98% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #736 of 745
68Saratoga SpringsSaratoga County · 28,768 peopleA+better than 97% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #199 of 745
73EastchesterWestchester County · 34,015 peopleA+better than 97% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #16 of 745
78PeekskillWestchester County · 25,891 peopleA+better than 97% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #495 of 745
91Cornwall-on-HudsonOrange County · 2,990 peopleA+better than 97% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #15 of 745
92New RochelleWestchester County · 85,864 peopleA+better than 97% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #336 of 745
95Mount MorrisLivingston County · 4,419 peopleA+better than 97% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #469 of 745
103AmsterdamMontgomery County · 18,093 peopleA+better than 96% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #735 of 745
104Mount MorrisLivingston County · 2,857 peopleA+better than 96% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #571 of 745
105DansvilleLivingston County · 4,342 peopleA+better than 96% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #460 of 745
106Hudson FallsWashington County · 7,333 peopleA+better than 96% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #401 of 745
109Hoosick FallsRensselaer County · 3,171 peopleA+better than 96% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #532 of 745
118North DansvilleLivingston County · 5,223 peopleA+better than 96% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #387 of 745
124RensselaerRensselaer County · 9,421 peopleA+better than 96% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #494 of 745
149Niagara FallsNiagara County · 47,255 peopleA+better than 95% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #710 of 745
159FranklinvilleCattaraugus County · 2,715 peopleAbetter than 95% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #461 of 745
161Wappingers FallsDutchess County · 6,048 peopleAbetter than 94% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #235 of 745
172North TonawandaNiagara County · 29,806 peopleAbetter than 94% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #427 of 745
182East BloomfieldOntario County · 3,614 peopleAbetter than 94% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #103 of 745
194Shelter IslandSuffolk County · 3,351 peopleAbetter than 93% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #274 of 745
197Fort EdwardWashington County · 5,943 peopleAbetter than 93% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #641 of 745
201OgdensburgSt. Lawrence County · 9,123 peopleAbetter than 93% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #671 of 745
203DuanesburgSchenectady County · 6,020 peopleAbetter than 93% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #309 of 745
210Fort EdwardWashington County · 3,128 peopleAbetter than 92% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #607 of 745
215PleasantvilleWestchester County · 7,391 peopleAbetter than 92% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #84 of 745
222Port ChesterWestchester County · 32,303 peopleAbetter than 92% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #467 of 745
225North HempsteadNassau County · 238,982 peopleAbetter than 92% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #44 of 745
242White PlainsWestchester County · 62,871 peopleAbetter than 91% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #324 of 745
247Mount PleasantWestchester County · 45,444 peopleAbetter than 91% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #90 of 745
255CortlandvilleCortland County · 8,191 peopleAbetter than 91% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #445 of 745
257German FlattsHerkimer County · 11,969 peopleAbetter than 91% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #346 of 745
265Potsdam College campusSt. Lawrence County · 8,019 peopleAbetter than 90% of U.S. towns·Overall B+
268TarrytownWestchester County · 11,890 peopleAbetter than 90% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #49 of 745
271PotsdamSt. Lawrence County · 14,367 peopleAbetter than 90% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #404 of 745
275MechanicvilleSaratoga County · 5,021 peopleAbetter than 89% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #553 of 745
279GreenburghWestchester County · 94,537 peopleAbetter than 89% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #230 of 745
280Saranac LakeFranklin County · 4,793 peopleAbetter than 89% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #451 of 745
283Dobbs FerryWestchester County · 11,645 peopleAbetter than 89% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #121 of 745
284MamaroneckWestchester County · 31,479 peopleAbetter than 89% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #94 of 745
289GouverneurSt. Lawrence County · 3,560 peopleAbetter than 88% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #744 of 745
291East HamptonSuffolk County · 29,400 peopleAbetter than 88% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #273 of 745
302MamaroneckWestchester County · 19,896 peopleAbetter than 88% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #138 of 745
306BrunswickRensselaer County · 12,626 peopleAbetter than 87% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #276 of 745
315PortvilleCattaraugus County · 3,359 peopleAbetter than 87% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #396 of 745
326BronxvilleWestchester County · 6,504 peopleAbetter than 86% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #10 of 745
331BaldwinsvilleOnondaga County · 7,582 peopleAbetter than 86% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #205 of 745
333North SalemWestchester County · 5,181 peopleAbetter than 86% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #48 of 745
345GouverneurSt. Lawrence County · 6,414 peopleAbetter than 85% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #730 of 745
352PoughkeepsieDutchess County · 45,986 peopleA−better than 85% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #406 of 745
366Schuyler FallsClinton County · 4,955 peopleA−better than 84% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #429 of 745
369Pound RidgeWestchester County · 5,057 peopleA−better than 84% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #45 of 745
376IrvingtonWestchester County · 6,533 peopleA−better than 83% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #12 of 745
386StockholmSt. Lawrence County · 3,857 peopleA−better than 83% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #635 of 745
388New CastleWestchester County · 18,259 peopleA−better than 83% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #42 of 745
398HaverstrawRockland County · 40,462 peopleA−better than 82% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #470 of 745
405CortlandtWestchester County · 42,413 peopleA−better than 81% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #155 of 745
412Rockville CentreNassau County · 25,770 peopleA−better than 81% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #37 of 745
414Highland FallsOrange County · 3,631 peopleA−better than 81% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #390 of 745
416West BloomfieldOntario County · 2,723 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #96 of 745
419Elmira HeightsChemung County · 3,716 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #655 of 745
422PierrepontSt. Lawrence County · 2,525 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #438 of 745
427GlenvilleSchenectady County · 29,701 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #162 of 745
440RotterdamSchenectady County · 31,065 peopleA−better than 78% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #271 of 745
458East WillistonNassau County · 2,616 peopleA−better than 78% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #20 of 745
463OswegatchieSt. Lawrence County · 3,976 peopleA−better than 77% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #381 of 745
479OssiningWestchester County · 27,579 peopleA−better than 76% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #433 of 745
485Tupper LakeFranklin County · 3,288 peopleB+better than 75% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #638 of 745
491StephentownRensselaer County · 2,782 peopleB+better than 74% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #284 of 745
492Pleasant ValleyDutchess County · 9,822 peopleB+better than 74% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #449 of 745
495Silver CreekChautauqua County · 2,575 peopleB+better than 74% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #645 of 745
501Pelham ManorWestchester County · 5,631 peopleB+better than 73% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #212 of 745
507Putnam ValleyPutnam County · 11,762 peopleB+better than 72% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #125 of 745
508North CastleWestchester County · 12,360 peopleB+better than 72% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #34 of 745
511Hastings-on-HudsonWestchester County · 8,440 peopleB+better than 72% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #5 of 745
517Sleepy HollowWestchester County · 11,474 peopleB+better than 71% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #248 of 745
519Tupper LakeFranklin County · 5,056 peopleB+better than 71% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #603 of 745
520ClarkstownRockland County · 89,659 peopleB+better than 70% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #201 of 745
531PoestenkillRensselaer County · 4,346 peopleB+better than 69% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #197 of 745
543Croton-on-HudsonWestchester County · 8,282 peopleB+better than 68% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #24 of 745
545NiskayunaSchenectady County · 24,211 peopleB+better than 68% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #131 of 745
546SchaghticokeRensselaer County · 7,297 peopleB+better than 68% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #222 of 745
548Blooming GroveOrange County · 18,418 peopleB+better than 67% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #319 of 745
554NorfolkSt. Lawrence County · 4,313 peopleB+better than 66% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #400 of 745
558East RockawayNassau County · 10,096 peopleB+better than 66% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #114 of 745
565HornellsvilleSteuben County · 3,892 peopleBbetter than 65% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #399 of 745
575Mount VernonWestchester County · 72,304 peopleBbetter than 63% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #684 of 745
578MassenaSt. Lawrence County · 12,058 peopleBbetter than 63% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #628 of 745
592Great Neck EstatesNassau County · 3,139 peopleBbetter than 61% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #36 of 745
595East GreenbushRensselaer County · 16,561 peopleBbetter than 61% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #132 of 745
597YorkshireCattaraugus County · 3,733 peopleBbetter than 61% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #627 of 745
603Clifton ParkSaratoga County · 37,775 peopleBbetter than 60% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #35 of 745
607South Glens FallsSaratoga County · 3,704 peopleBbetter than 59% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #402 of 745
608Briarcliff ManorWestchester County · 7,481 peopleBbetter than 59% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #179 of 745
616OssiningWestchester County · 39,964 peopleBbetter than 58% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #258 of 745
618NorthumberlandSaratoga County · 5,181 peopleBbetter than 58% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #225 of 745
639PlattsburghClinton County · 11,748 peopleB−better than 55% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #474 of 745
642East FishkillDutchess County · 29,801 peopleB−better than 55% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #168 of 745
644BrasherSt. Lawrence County · 2,570 peopleB−better than 54% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #601 of 745
646Spring ValleyRockland County · 34,482 peopleB−better than 54% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #740 of 745
657West HaverstrawRockland County · 11,025 peopleB−better than 52% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #596 of 745
659SalamancaCattaraugus County · 5,719 peopleB−better than 52% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #662 of 745
661Mount KiscoWestchester County · 10,757 peopleB−better than 52% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #210 of 745
662East SyracuseOnondaga County · 2,973 peopleB−better than 52% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #156 of 745
T663LouisvilleSt. Lawrence County · 2,974 peopleB−better than 52% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #618 of 745
676New HartfordOneida County · 21,945 peopleB−better than 50% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #269 of 745
684East RochesterMonroe County · 6,132 peopleB−better than 48% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #238 of 745
692Stony PointRockland County · 15,335 peopleB−better than 46% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #280 of 745
694Greenwood LakeOrange County · 2,975 peopleB−better than 45% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #214 of 745
697Valley StreamNassau County · 40,379 peopleC+better than 44% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #140 of 745
704North GreenbushRensselaer County · 13,523 peopleC+better than 41% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #151 of 745
714BrightwatersSuffolk County · 3,208 peopleC+better than 35% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #158 of 745
717WashingtonvilleOrange County · 5,640 peopleCbetter than 34% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #161 of 745
723Great Neck PlazaNassau County · 7,889 peopleCbetter than 32% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #81 of 745
726North SyracuseOnondaga County · 6,773 peopleCbetter than 30% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #287 of 745
734Rye BrookWestchester County · 9,955 peopleC−better than 22% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #25 of 745
735New HempsteadRockland County · 5,657 peopleC−better than 21% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #570 of 745
737Cayuga HeightsTompkins County · 3,860 peopleC−better than 21% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #241 of 745
740Wesley HillsRockland County · 6,477 peopleC−better than 17% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #386 of 745
745Port Washington NorthNassau County · 3,154 peopleDbetter than 12% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #57 of 745
751Chestnut RidgeRockland County · 10,987 peopleDbetter than 8% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #526 of 745
754South Blooming GroveOrange County · 3,810 peopleDbetter than 5% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #731 of 745
T755New SquareRockland County · 10,214 peopleD−better than 2% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #745 of 745
Quick answers
Questions people ask
What is the most historic town in New York?
Otsego (Otsego County) ranks first on history among 758 towns, with an A+; St. Johnsville and Newburgh follow.
How are these towns ranked?
The History grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): the town’s founding era, homes built before 1940 (Census ACS) and its National Register places. Towns are sorted on the grade’s score; the letter and rank are the same as on each town’s page. How grades work.
Why isn’t my town on this list?
The list covers towns of 2,500+ residents with a history grade (758 in New York). Smaller towns have the grade on their page but no rank. Every town is on the New York page.
Go deeper
All New York rankings →More New York lists
Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.
Best places to live745 towns · #1 BrookvilleBest small towns508 towns · #1 BrookvilleMost affordable towns757 towns · #1 OswegatchieSafest towns236 towns · #1 HighlandsTowns with the best schools755 towns · #1 Kiryas Joel and Palm TreeHealthiest towns755 towns · #1 ScarsdaleBest towns for jobs & income758 towns · #1 LawrenceMost walkable towns758 towns · #1 LarchmontTowns with the lowest natural-hazard risk758 towns · #1 BrockportBest towns for the outdoors758 towns · #1 HaverstrawTowns with the most civic life751 towns · #1 Shelter IslandTowns with the least snow737 towns · #1 BayvilleDescribed, no lettersSnowiest towns737 towns · #1 CarthageDescribed, no lettersTowns with the mildest winters691 towns · #1 Hempstead and Long BeachDescribed, no lettersTowns with the hottest summers691 towns · #1 PiermontDescribed, no lettersTowns with the coolest summers691 towns · #1 North ElbaDescribed, no lettersTowns with the highest incomes757 towns · #1 Brookville and 11 moreDescribed, no lettersTowns with the lowest property taxes619 towns · #1 BuffaloDescribed, no lettersFastest-growing towns764 towns · #1 Kiryas Joel and Palm TreeDescribed, no lettersTowns with the most-used libraries241 towns · #1 Shelter IslandDescribed, no letters
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