Chemung County, New York Demographics 2026

Name: Chemung County, New York Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Chemung County, New York has a population of 82,147, the 32nd most populous county in New York. The median household income is $63,716 and the median home value is $141,100. The poverty rate is 16.3%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Chemung County Quick Facts

Population 82,147

Median Household Income $63,716

Median Home Value $141,100

Poverty Rate 16.3%

Unemployment Rate 6.2%

Median Age 42.0 years

Homeownership Rate 68.4%

Affordability Ratio 2.2x

Bachelor's Degree+ 27.2%

High School Graduation 90.7%

Cities/Places 13

Population 82,147 32nd of 62

Median Income $63,716 26% lower than state

Poverty Rate 16.3%

Unemployment 6.2%

How Chemung County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	82,805	82,147	-0.8%
Median household income	$63,469	$63,716	+0.4%
Median home value	$132,100	$141,100	+6.8%

Median Household Income

Chemung

$63,716

$85,974

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Chemung

$141,100

$423,800

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 19.0%

$25K-$50K 19.6%

$50K-$100K 32.0%

$100K+ 29.4%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

6.1%

$10K-$15K

4.3%

$15K-$20K

4.4%

$20K-$25K

4.3%

$25K-$30K

3.1%

$30K-$35K

4.5%

$35K-$40K

3.9%

$40K-$45K

4.3%

$45K-$50K

3.8%

$50K-$60K

7.9%

$60K-$75K

11.0%

$75K-$100K

13.1%

$100K-$125K

10.0%

$125K-$150K

7.2%

$150K-$200K

6.1%

$200K+

6.0%

Employment

6.2% Unemployment Rate State: 6.4%|National: 5.2%

57.5% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 68.4%

Renter 31.6%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.2x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,059/mo 19.9% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

20.9%

18-34

20.4%

35-54

24.2%

55-74

26.1%

75+

8.4%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 65 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Chemung County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Elmira	26,257	$43,120	30.2%	$93,000
Southport	6,450	$62,684	11.5%	$107,900
Horseheads	6,449	$61,223	11.8%	$141,400
Big Flats	5,651	$89,286	4.8%	$224,400
West Elmira	4,750	$111,417	5.1%	$198,300
Elmira Heights	4,110	$58,125	24.6%	$104,800
Horseheads North	2,676	$90,481	4.7%	$210,600
Pine Valley	721	N/A	26.8%	N/A
Breesport	628	$85,294	4.8%	$162,200
Van Etten	587	$60,200	11.7%	$127,500
Erin	473	$42,313	15.4%	$45,700
Wellsburg	448	$63,750	19.6%	$97,900
Millport	243	$45,500	11.9%	$103,800

Explore New York Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Chemung County is located in New York with a total population of 82,147. It is the 32nd most populous county out of 62 in New York. The county encompasses 13 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Chemung County is 42.0 years. This is 6% higher than the state median of 39.8 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Chemung County is $63,716. This is 26% lower than the state median of $85,974. It is also 21% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 16.3%. This is 16% higher than the state poverty rate of 14.0%. The unemployment rate is 6.2%. This is 3% lower than the state rate of 6.4%. The median home value is $141,100. Housing costs are 67% lower than the state median of $423,800. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.2x, Chemung County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 68.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 26% higher than the state average of 54.4%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Chemung County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 84.0% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 6.4%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (84.0% vs 52.8%). The Black or African American population (6.4%) is well below the state average of 13.4%. The Hispanic or Latino population (3.8%) is well below the state average of 19.8%. The Asian population (1.6%) is well below the state average of 9.0%.

Education

27.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 32% lower than the state rate of 40.2%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 90.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Chemung County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against New York and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Chemung County, New York?

Chemung County has a population of 82,147, making it the 32nd most populous county in New York.

What is the median income in Chemung County?

The median household income in Chemung County is $63,716 with a poverty rate of 16.3%.

How many cities are in Chemung County, New York?

Chemung County contains 13 Census-designated places.