Ghent, New York Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 517, Ghent'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

Ghent is a small community located in New York, within Columbia County. The total population is 517. It ranks as the 1048th most populous out of 1,289 Census-designated places in New York.

Age Demographics

The median age in Ghent is 58.0 years. This is 46% higher than the state median of 39.8 years. 16.1% 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 Ghent is $138,446. This is 61% higher than the state median of $85,974. It is also 71% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 13.7%. This is 2% lower than the state poverty rate of 14.0%. The survey records no unemployed residents in Ghent, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $318,500. Housing costs are 25% lower than the state median of $423,800. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.3x, Ghent is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 72.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 34% higher than the state average of 54.4%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Ghent is White (non-Hispanic), making up 75.2% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 5.6%. The Black or African American population (3.1%) is well below the state average of 13.4%. The Hispanic or Latino population (5.6%) is well below the state average of 19.8%. The Asian population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 9.0%.

Education

40.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is about the same as 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 96.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Ghent, 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.