RANK #121 / 1001 NAT · #10 / 45 NY · POP 60,108
1YR FORECAST: +2.3%
5YR OUTLOOK: +35%
Otsego County, New York, is often recognized for Cooperstown, a village known as the unofficial birthplace of baseball and home to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Located in central New York, west of Albany, the county offers a blend of rural landscapes and cultural attractions. Commuting options include Interstate 88 and various state routes, with bus services connecting communities like Oneonta and Cooperstown. The region's natural beauty, including Otsego Lake, provides opportunities for hiking, biking, paddling, and winter sports.
Life in Otsego County balances small-town community with access to educational and healthcare institutions. Residents often own their homes, and the area is home to both young professionals and retirees. The economy is supported by healthcare, with Bassett Medical Center being a major employer, and educational services, anchored by SUNY Oneonta and Hartwick College. Recent economic developments include investments in tourism, agribusiness, and infrastructure, with a focus on improving local facilities and supporting manufacturing.
Otsego County is one of 75 U.S. counties in this market profile — stronger than typical on the BoomTown Index. Within this cohort, its recent home-price change of +1.4% runs above the profile's typical +0.8%.
See all 75 Affordable Slow Markets counties →Overvalued relative to economy
Below national median
Below-average climate & terrain
Housing looks overvalued at 7.7x — home prices are high relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Bars show trailing 12-month growth. The dashed Forecast bars are the model's next-12-month projection; the whisker marks the ±1% range (cooling–accelerating).
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: CDC/NCHS vital statistics via County Health Rankings (2020–2022 avg). Rates per 100,000 population. Grade based on homicide rate relative to national average (~6.3). Learn more →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
45th Parallel Solar Project
RWE Renewables
|
$200M | Planned |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
Otsego County ranks #121 out of 1001 U.S. counties on the Boom Town Index with a score of 88/100, putting it in the top tier nationally. Job growth of +2.0% and a median household income of $68,885 point to a county with active economic momentum.
By national standards, Otsego County is quite affordable. Homes here have a median value of $179,100, and the income-to-home-value ratio of 0.38 is well above the U.S. average — especially with median rent at just $987/month. Residents can generally buy a home without being cost-burdened.
Otsego County is growing on multiple fronts. Population is up +0.6% year-over-year while employers added jobs at a +2.0% clip. Home values shifted +1.4% in the past year.
In significant numbers — 5.15% of Otsego County's current population relocated from another state, well above the national norm. That level of in-migration usually signals a county where jobs, affordability, or quality of life are pulling people in from elsewhere.