Friendship, New York Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 712, Friendship's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Friendship is a small community located in New York, within Allegany County. The total population is 712. It ranks as the 951st most populous out of 1,289 Census-designated places in New York.

Age Demographics

The median age in Friendship is 44.5 years. This is 12% higher than the state median of 39.8 years. 10.3% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Friendship is $35,417. This is 59% lower than the state median of $85,974. It is also 56% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 27.1%. This is 93% higher than the state poverty rate of 14.0%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 10.7%. This is 68% higher than the state rate of 6.4%. The median home value is $71,600. Housing costs are 83% lower than the state median of $423,800. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.0x, Friendship is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 67.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 24% higher than the state average of 54.4%.

Race & Ethnicity

Friendship has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 95.2% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 2.5%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (95.2% vs 52.8%). The Black or African American population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 13.4%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.5%) is well below the state average of 19.8%.

Education

9.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 77% 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 84.1%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Friendship, New York is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against New York state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,289 Census-designated places in New York. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.