NewYorkStateThruway(I-87), 2004
Suffern’s story
253 years in pictures
Census counts: 1,619 in 1900, 11,441 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1936 and 5 maps from 1910 on.
- 1773Suffern is settled
SuffernNY
A town of 11,796, settled in 1773.
3 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Alexisrael · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
11,796
2025 Census estimate · +2.9% since 2020
Typical home
$593K
+4.2% in a year
Household income
$105K
median
Median age
40.7
years
Jobs based here
3,580
Balanced
TownGrade
B+
#247 of 745 in NY
Is Suffern a good place to live?
For most people who can afford it, yes. Suffern grades B+ overall, ranked 247th of 745 in New York. CDC estimates put its residents' health ahead of 88% of the country and the median household earns $105K. The catch is cost: homes are expensive, about $593K for a typical one and 6 times the New York metro’s $99K median household income. Suffern’s median rent is $2,091 a month, above both the New York town median ($1,098 a month) and the median of U.S. towns ($1,185 a month). Suffern is more walkable than 83% of U.S. towns. The biggest park or preserve is Harriman State Park, at 100 acres.
What makes Suffern stand out
Where Suffern beats most towns.
How Suffern grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New York), ordered by how far Suffern is from typical.
Cost of livingDOpen →HealthGood Samaritan Hospital of Suffern 0.4 miles awayAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 10.1 of 20; 7.8% of households have no carA−Open →Jobs & income3,580 jobs based hereA−Open →SchoolsBeat 65% of New York districts on tests and graduationB+Open →SafetyBOpen →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 12% conserved landA−Open →History28 notable people born hereA−Open →Civic life5.4 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsBOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 616 attractions →Central Park and 527 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Suffern. Close and well known come first.
Big draw25 mi GardenCentral Park40.0M visitors a year
Big draw26 mi Stadium & arenaMadison Square Garden
Big draw22 mi MuseumUnited States Military Academy
Big draw21 mi Stadium & arenaMetLife Stadium
Big draw25 mi TheatreStudio 54
Big draw25 mi MuseumMetropolitan Museum of Art2.0M visitors a yearSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Central Park: Ed Yourdon from New York City, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Madison Square Garden: Ajay Suresh from New York, NY, USA, CC BY 2.0 · United States Military Academy: USMA Public Affairs Office, Public domain · MetLife Stadium: babyknight, CC BY 2.0 · Studio 54: Americasroof (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Metropolitan Museum of Art: Hugo Schneider, CC BY-SA 2.0
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Suffern: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Suffern, and how to reach them.
PowerOrange & Rockland26.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterSuffern Village water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Suffern’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 hereRockland County Board of ElectionsRockland County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2019
ZIP code1090110901 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 Suffern.
Suffern sends many workers across the state line to Mahwah Township and is safe by national standards but not by New York’s; it also has homes that cost more against local pay than most of New York.
HealthA
Suffern’s grade for health is an A
17% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in Suffern. Suffern beats the New York average on 12 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 14% of adults report frequent mental distress in Suffern.
88%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
| Suffern | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 21% | 23% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 16% | 17% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 9.5% | 13% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 14% | 14% |
32 measures vs. New York
12 better19 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Suffern | NY |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 12.2% | 17.2% |
| Fewer adults without reliable transportation | 6.5% | 8.6% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 8.7% | 7.7% |
Good Samaritan Hospital of Suffern
0.4 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
79th
percentile among NY towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Suffern
Suffern has chilly, snowy winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. July afternoons reach 85°, January nights drop to 21° and about 36 inches of snow falls in a winter.
36″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter23–40°
Spring39–60°
Summer61–82°
Fall44–64°
Oct 23
typical first frost
Apr 19
typical last frost
+2.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
SafetyB
Less crime per resident in Suffern than in 64% of U.S. towns
At 13.3 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports less crime than 50% of New York’s graded towns. Reported crimes fell from 113 to 85 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
64%of U.S. towns report more crimeBSafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Suffern1.1
New York3.7
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Suffern6.2
New York15.7
U.S.15.5
64th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
50th
percentile among NY towns
13
violent crimes reported in 2025
72
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
With 0.8 jobs for every working resident, most of Suffern’s workers commute out
26% of working residents cross a state line to work, Mahwah Township among the top destinations.
Most working residents leave Suffern for work: only 8% work in town. The average trip to work in Suffern is 29 minutes. The top destinations are Ramapo (21%), New York (18%) and Clarkstown (9%).
8%work in town
| Suffern | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $105,000 | $82,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 29 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 6.1% | 9.5% | 9.6% |
| Work from home | 13% | 12% | 11% |
Where working residents work
In Suffern8%
Ramapo21%
New York18%
Clarkstown9%
Orangetown6%
12 mi
median commute distance
3,580
jobs based in Suffern
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
A−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 83% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
12.4%conserved
12.4%
conserved · 168 of 1,356 acres
0.5 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Harriman State Park | 0.5 mi | 100 |
| 2. Memorial Park | — | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HousingCost of living grade D
Suffern’s grade for cost of living is a D
At 6 years of the New York metro’s $99K median household income, the typical home (about $593K) costs more against local pay than in 82% of New York towns; that ratio is one input to its D for cost of living.
The typical Suffern home is worth about $593,000, up 4.2% in a year, 13% above the New York typical home. 67% of Suffern households own their home.
$593KZillow home value
Typical home value
Suffern$593K
New York$525K
Market temperature
20
days on market
101.3%
sale-to-list price
+4.2%
value change, 1 year
10
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Who lives here
Fewer young adults than New York overall
Adults 18 to 34 are 19% of residents (23% statewide). Suffern has grown 2.9% since 2020, to 11,796 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 43% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 40% across New York.
40.7median age · NY 39.8
| Suffern | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 43% | 32% | 29% |
| Under 18 | 24% | 20% | 22% |
| Median age | 40.7 years | 43 years | 40.5 years |
SuffernNew YorkUnited States
Ages · share of residents
14%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma9%
High school21%
Some college16%
Associate’s11%
Bachelor’s24%
Graduate20%
Women and men · all residents
53% women, 47% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±2.9 points. Across New York, 51.2% of residents are women.
| Suffern | NY | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 11.6% | 11% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 11.9% | 9.5% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.3% | 8.9% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.3% | 14.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 13.5% | 13% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.4% | 12.2% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 12.6% | 13.3% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 10% | 10.3% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 9.3% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 8.7% | 12% | 10.4% |
| High school | 21.1% | 24.3% | 26% |
| Some college | 15.7% | 14.6% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 11.3% | 8.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 23.6% | 22.4% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 19.7% | 17.9% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C+
Inland flooding leads a moderate hazard risk in Suffern
372 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 30 properties have flooded more than once.
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 57% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 372 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Suffern.
57risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold waves
372
paid flood claims since 1978
9
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Suffern
20pages on Suffern
The big questions
SchoolsB+Beat 65% of NY districtsSafetyB1.1 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthABetter than NY on 12 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingD$593K typical home · up 4.2% in a yearWork & commuteA−$105K median household income · 3,580 jobs hereNatural hazardsC+FEMA risk higher than 57% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
22 within 15 miles of the center of Suffern
Ramapo College of New JerseyUniversity or college · Public · Mahwah, NJ2.7 mi$16,777 in-state tuitionYeshiva Shaarei Torah of RocklandUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Suffern2.8 mi$13,000 tuitionRockland Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Suffern3.3 mi$6,862 in-state tuition
About 6 of every 100 Suffern residents are enrolled in college, about the same as New York.
Famous people from Suffern
28 notable people were born in Suffern.
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About Suffern
Village in New York, United States
Suffern (/ˈsʌfərn/ ) is a village that was incorporated in 1796 in the town of Ramapo in Rockland County, New York. Located adjacent to the town of Mahwah, New Jersey, Suffern is located 31 miles northwest of Manhattan. As of the 2020 census, Suffern's population was 11,402.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1773
- Area
- 2.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 312 ft
- ZIP code
- 10901
Suffern’s neighbors
3 towns share a border with Suffern.
MontebelloHillburnAirmontSuffern
How the neighbors grade
| Town | NY rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suffern | #247 | B+ | D | B | B+ | A |
| Montebello | #298 | B | D− | — | B+ | A− |
| Hillburn | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Airmont | #497 | C+ | C− | — | D | B+ |
Montebello and Airmont report no FBI crime data of their own. Hillburn isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Suffern with a neighbor →
Questions about Suffern
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Suffern, NY a good place to live?
For most people who can afford it, yes. Suffern grades B+ overall, better than 69% of U.S. towns and #247 of 745 in New York. It grades A for health, B for safety and B+ for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Suffern, NY expensive?
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.
What is Suffern, NY known for?
28 notable people were born here, including Valerie Harper and Dave Annable.