United States › New York › Elmira CITY
Elmira New York · 26,089 residents (2025 est.) · 7.25 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Elmira is home to 26,257 people in New York. The poverty rate is 30.2%, above the 12.5% national rate. 18% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Households here earn about 50% less than in New York as a whole. Home values have risen by half since 2000, reaching $93,000. 50% of homes are owner-occupied.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 36.5
US median: 38.9
Less educated
18% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 30,940 in 2000
26,089 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
3,621 / sq mi
−11%since 2009
from 4,053 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 33.4 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
26K 28K 30K 32K 34K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Elmira Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $43,120
−13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $27,292 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $14,495 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 12.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 23.1% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.461 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 2.8%
Public administration 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.5%
Transportation & warehousing 1%
Education & health services 0.5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$93,000
−3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $52,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$909
+12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $447 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 48.3% in 2000
49.9% rent
from 11.4% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.23 people
Unchangedsince 2009
from 2.23 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 25.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 55.1% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.1 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 80.8%(25,002)
Hispanic / Latino 3.1%(970)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 69.4%(18,223)
Hispanic / Latino 7.4%(1,953)
from 42 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 26 more ancestry groups with data from 14.6% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 74.2% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 5.8% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 11.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 73.3% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 10.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 1.9% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 4.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 7.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 20.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 10.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 52.7% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 69.4% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 14.9% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 22.5% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 3.5% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.6% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 17.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 11.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 65.4% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 88.5% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 85.2% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 96.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 2.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 49.1%(5,081)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 11.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 43.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 9.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 18.7% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 43.5% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.9% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 52.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 55.1% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 11.5%(142)
Gulf War (1990s) 34.1%(421)
Share of the 1,233 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
Places similar to Elmira Head to head
Compare Elmira to nearby cities ELMIRA VS
Corning
Income $61,760 +43%
Home value $158,400 +70%
Population 10,514 −60%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ELMIRA VS
Ithaca
Income $48,784 +13%
Home value $342,700 +268%
Population 33,632 +29%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ELMIRA VS
Endicott
Income $47,290 +10%
Home value $121,800 +31%
Population 13,068 −50%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ELMIRA VS
Endwell
Income $82,726 +92%
Home value $173,300 +86%
Population 11,546 −56%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Elmira, New York? Elmira, New York has about 26,257 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Elmira, New York? The typical household in Elmira, New York earns about $43,120 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Elmira, New York expensive? In Elmira, New York, the median home is worth about $93,000, and the typical rent is about $909 a month.
How educated are people in Elmira, New York? About 18.1% of adults age 25 and over in Elmira, New York hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Elmira, New York? About 30.2% of people in Elmira, New York live below the federal poverty line.
Has Elmira, New York grown since 1990? Yes, Elmira, New York has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 7,467 residents, a change of about -22 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here 