West Elmira, New York Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

West Elmira is a small community located in New York, within Chemung County. The total population is 4,750. It ranks as the 370th most populous out of 1,289 Census-designated places in New York.

Age Demographics

The median age in West Elmira is 45.4 years. This is 14% higher than the state median of 39.8 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in West Elmira is $111,417. This is 30% higher than the state median of $85,974. It is also 38% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 5.1%. This is 64% lower than the state poverty rate of 14.0%. The unemployment rate is 3.7%. This is 42% lower than the state rate of 6.4%. The median home value is $198,300. Housing costs are 53% lower than the state median of $423,800. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.8x, West Elmira is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 88.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 63% higher than the state average of 54.4%.

Race & Ethnicity

West Elmira has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 92.5% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 1.8%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (92.5% vs 52.8%). The Black or African American population (1.8%) is well below the state average of 13.4%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.5%) is well below the state average of 19.8%. The Asian population (1.8%) is well below the state average of 9.0%.

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 97.7%. Notably, 20.8% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for West Elmira, 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.