Old Forge, New York Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 574, Old Forge'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

Old Forge is a small community located in New York, within Herkimer County. The total population is 574. It ranks as the 1024th most populous out of 1,289 Census-designated places in New York.

Age Demographics

The median age in Old Forge is 42.5 years. This is 7% higher than the state median of 39.8 years. Only 13.9% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Old Forge is $75,076. This is 13% lower than the state median of $85,974. It is also 7% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 3.7%. This is 74% lower than the state poverty rate of 14.0%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The unemployment rate is 10.4%. This is 63% higher than the state rate of 6.4%. The median home value is $322,800. Housing costs are 24% lower than the state median of $423,800. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.3x. 65.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 20% higher than the state average of 54.4%.

Race & Ethnicity

Every resident counted in Old Forge was recorded as White (non-Hispanic). A figure of exactly 100.0% reflects a survey sample too small to capture the community's full composition rather than a precise measurement.

Education

51.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 27% higher 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 90.4%. Notably, 17.6% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Old Forge, 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.