Zena, New York Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 997, Zena'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

Zena is a small community located in New York, within Ulster County. The total population is 997. It ranks as the 859th most populous out of 1,289 Census-designated places in New York.

Age Demographics

The median age in Zena is 57.5 years. This is 44% higher than the state median of 39.8 years. Only 14.8% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Zena is $154,250. This is 79% higher than the state median of $85,974. It is also 91% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 10.2%. This is 27% lower than the state poverty rate of 14.0%. The survey records no unemployed residents in Zena, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $484,800. Housing costs are 14% higher than the state median of $423,800. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.1x. 95.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 75% higher than the state average of 54.4%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Zena is White (non-Hispanic), making up 81.4% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 7.4%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (81.4% vs 52.8%). The Hispanic or Latino population (7.4%) is well below the state average of 19.8%.

Education

64.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 61% 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 93.5%. Notably, 31.0% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Zena, 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.