Jobs, pay and daily life in Jamestown, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Jamestown is a city in New York with 28,188 residents. The median household earns $43,523 a year and the median rent is $759 a month, which is 20.9% of the median household income. We could not match it to a metropolitan area in the BLS wage tables, so metro pay data is not shown.
How Jamestown compares. Among the 120 largest places in New York, Jamestown is #52 by population, #1 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #119 for household income (#1 = highest), #108 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, Chautauqua County, is #58 of 62 counties for average pay ($52,960).
Jamestown has 28,188 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.1% of the population of New York. It covers 9 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 3,167 people per square mile. The median age is 39.8, about the same as the state median (39.8 against 39.8).
The median gross rent is $759 a month (rent plus utilities), 53% below the state median ($759 against $1,621). Over a year that is 20.9% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $87,700, which is 2.0 times the median household income ($43,523); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 49.3% of households own their home, 9% below the state average (49.3% against 54.4%).
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Chautauqua County was 4.4%. 57.0% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Chautauqua County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 69.9% drive alone, 2.4% use public transit, 4.4% walk, 9.1% work from home. 7.1% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 74% below the state average (7.1% against 27.4%).
21.3% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 47% below the state share (21.3% against 40.2%). 3.3% of residents were born outside the United States, 86% below the state share (3.3% against 22.8%). The poverty rate is 25.2%, 80% above the state rate (25.2% against 14.0%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 70°F (21.0°C), and the coolest is Jan at 23°F (-4.9°C). About 1,040 mm (41 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Oct is the wettest month (107 mm) and Feb the driest (61 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Erie (43 miles, rent 15% higher); Oil City (52 miles, rent 8% higher); Lackawanna (54 miles, rent 15% higher); Meadville (56 miles, rent 13% higher). Rent differences are against Jamestown; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in New York (1,186) →State guide: New YorkCountry guideChautauqua CountyNew York rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 1,186 federal postings open in New York (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
No metropolitan wage table is matched to this city. Employment shares of residents by industry (ACS):
| Industry ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 29.5% |
| Manufacturing | 17.2% |
| Retail trade | 14.0% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 9.0% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 7.6% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 5.6% |
| Other services | 5.0% |
| Public administration | 4.1% |
| Construction | 3.0% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.0% |
| Information | 1.4% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 1.2% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.4% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Jamestown lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chautauqua County | 125,544 | $6,275 million | $49,983 | 46,319 | 3,224 | $52,960 | +1.1% | 4.4% | 54,504 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 8,218 | 22.1% | $68,126 | 2.16 |
| Health care and social assistance | 6,263 | 16.8% | $56,010 | 0.94 |
| Retail trade | 5,889 | 15.8% | $35,735 | 1.27 |
| Accommodation and food services | 4,545 | 12.2% | $22,867 | 1.08 |
| Administrative and waste services | 1,809 | 4.9% | $39,115 | 0.66 |
| Construction | 1,743 | 4.7% | $62,382 | 0.72 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,601 | 4.3% | $31,591 | 1.15 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,006 | 2.7% | $75,229 | 0.55 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 877 | 2.4% | $53,046 | 0.45 |
| Professional and technical services | 805 | 2.2% | $60,908 | 0.25 |
| Educational services | 786 | 2.1% | $39,362 | 0.82 |
| Finance and insurance | 744 | 2.0% | $68,027 | 0.40 |
| Management of companies | 655 | 1.8% | $45,646 | 0.84 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 655 | 1.8% | $23,652 | 0.84 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 605 | 1.6% | $41,313 | 1.61 |
| Information | 424 | 1.1% | $56,987 | 0.49 |
| Real estate and rental | 363 | 1.0% | $44,179 | 0.50 |
| Utilities | 139 | 0.4% | $133,165 | 0.79 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 56 | 0.2% | $53,471 | 0.32 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 69.9% |
| Public transit | 2.4% |
| Walk | 4.4% |
| Work from home | 9.1% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 7.1% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $43,523 |
| Income per person | $26,557 |
| Median gross rent per month | $759 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 20.9% |
| Median home value | $87,700 |
| Homeowners | 49.3% |
| Poverty rate | 25.2% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | n/a |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | n/a |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 10.90%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 39.8 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 87.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 21.3% |
| Born abroad | 3.3% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 57.0% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -4.9 | 23 | 71 |
| Feb | -4.4 | 24 | 61 |
| Mar | 0.2 | 32 | 73 |
| Apr | 6.7 | 44 | 84 |
| May | 13.3 | 56 | 98 |
| Jun | 18.2 | 65 | 100 |
| Jul | 21.0 | 70 | 103 |
| Aug | 20.5 | 69 | 86 |
| Sep | 17.0 | 63 | 93 |
| Oct | 9.9 | 50 | 107 |
| Nov | 3.6 | 38 | 80 |
| Dec | -1.7 | 29 | 84 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erie | PA | 43 mi | 93,850 | $46,113 | $870 |
| Oil City | PA | 52 mi | 9,468 | $51,316 | $821 |
| Lackawanna | NY | 54 mi | 19,753 | $52,110 | $872 |
| Meadville | PA | 56 mi | 12,577 | $43,308 | $855 |
| West Seneca | NY | 57 mi | 45,303 | $79,709 | $1,106 |
| St. Marys | PA | 58 mi | 12,529 | $67,167 | $762 |
| Buffalo | NY | 58 mi | 276,854 | $50,041 | $1,046 |
| Cheektowaga | NY | 61 mi | 76,056 | $68,613 | $1,055 |
| Tonawanda Town | NY | 64 mi | 56,806 | $77,679 | $1,102 |
| North Tonawanda | NY | 68 mi | 30,198 | $66,961 | $934 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
28,188 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$759 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 20.9% of the median household income.
$43,523 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.4% (BLS county, Chautauqua County (latest month 2026M09)).
New York. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.