Jamestown, NY — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·New York·Jamestown

Chautauqua County · Jamestown-Dunkirk-Fredonia · population 27,699

AffordabilityInvestorsShrinking
Jamestown, NY
Image: Wikipedia · Jamestown, New York
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
View watchlist →
68
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Jamestown stands

At or near all-time high. averaging 7.2% annual growth over 5 years. population shrinking 0.9% per year.

Median home $120,631
1-year +3.3%
5-yr CAGR +7.2%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population -0.9%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$121k$57k$80k$103k$125k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
32/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
15/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
64/100
Workable for remote workers
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 10.5
Buy

At a 10.5 price-to-rent ratio, buying generally beats renting in Jamestown on a long-enough horizon. The headline math is that one year of mortgage payments approximates 10.5 years of rent — well below the 15+ threshold where ownership starts to dominate.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
67 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
75 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
32 · w16%
Home 10-yr CAGR
74 · w10%
Long thesis

Jamestown has averaged 7.2% annual appreciation over five years and the trend is still live (+3.3% in the last 12 months). When a momentum trade keeps working, the simplest explanation is usually correct: more people want in.

Short thesis

Jamestown's population is shrinking 0.9% per year. Housing demand has to come from somewhere — if people are leaving, the buyer pool is shrinking faster than the inventory. That eventually shows up in price.

About Jamestown

Jamestown is a city in Chautauqua County, New York, with an estimated population of 27,699. It anchors the Jamestown-Dunkirk-Fredonia metro area. The population has contracted 0.9% per year on average since 2020. The median home value in Jamestown is $120,631 as of 2026-04, up 3.3% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +7.2% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Jamestown average $957 per month. The composite momentum score is 68 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Affordable AND rising: median home $120,631 with positive recent direction — rare combination most of the country can’t offer.
●Healthy 5-year run: +7.2% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
●Quiet strength: +3.3% over the trailing year — not a melt-up, but the market is bid.
●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

●Flat or shrinking population: -0.9% per year. Housing demand has to come from somewhere — verify the source.
○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Jamestown (Wikipedia)

Jamestown is a city in southern Chautauqua County, New York, United States. The population was 28,712 at the 2020 census. Situated between Lake Erie to the north and the Allegheny National Forest to the south, Jamestown is the largest city in the county. Nearby Chautauqua Lake is a freshwater resource used by fishermen, boaters, and naturalists.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Chautauqua County right now.

NWS active alerts (NY)New York Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Chautauqua County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Neighborhoods of Jamestown

1 tracked · ranked by median home value
1Jamestown West$177,063+9.3%

Cities like Jamestown

Depew, NY71 · RisingMiddletown, NY72 · RisingGloversville, NY71 · RisingWatervliet, NY67 · Rising

Run the numbers for Jamestown

ToolCan I afford Jamestown?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Jamestown rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Jamestown to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolJamestown cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
33° / 19°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
82° / 63°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
183
~50% of year
Annual precip
41″ rain
60″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Moderate
Tornado
Very low
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Very low
Flood
Moderate

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Jamestown listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Jamestown-Dunkirk-Fredonia area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
71%
Humid climate
Median household income
$81,400
New York state median
Top industries (state-level)
Finance (NYC)MediaHealthcare

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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