Elmira, New York Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Elmira, NY Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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C
Health Below average
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F
Income Well below average
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F
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Elmira | New York Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 26,257 | 19,748,855 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 3464.7 | 362.0 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -1.05% | 0.05% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 38.1 | 38.7 | 37.3 |
| Households | 10,532 | 7,694,043 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Elmira declined by 10.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 26,257 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Elmira is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 23.8% of residents. That is 3.2 points above New York as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 6,238 23.8% +3.2 pts
- Millennials 29–44 5,692 21.7% -0.5 pts
- Gen X 45–60 5,083 19.4% -1.4 pts
- Boomers 61–79 3,870 14.7% -2.6 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below New York, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 50.8% of the people living in Elmira and men 49.2%.
- Women 50.8% New York 51.3%
- Men 49.2% New York 48.7%
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Economy
Elmira has a the economy index of F, which means it scores poorly in the economy.
| Metric | Elmira | New York Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $43,684 | $86,556 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.94% | 4.51% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 9.9% | 6.4% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Elmira is about 50% lower than in New York.
Housing
| Metric | Elmira | New York Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $71,724 | $471,885 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $909 | $1,621 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 50.1% | 54.3% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Elmira is about 6.6 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $909 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Elmira spend about 31 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 128 hours, about 5.3 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Elmira | New York Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 15.4 | 28.7 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 30.8 | 57.4 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 128 | 239 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $3,976 | $7,414 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 10.3% | 15.0% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 9,830 | 9,257 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,934 | 1,586 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Elmira is 15 minutes, shorter than the 29 minutes in New York.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Elmira has a education index of F, which means it scores poorly in education.
| Metric | Elmira | New York Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.2% | 36.5% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.23 | 2.49 | 2.53 |
Health
Elmira has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | Elmira | New York Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 75.1 | 80.3 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 17.8% | 13.2% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 23.7% | 17.4% | 19.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Elmira, New York.
What is the population of Elmira, New York?
About 26,257 people live in Elmira, New York, in 10,532 households of 2.2 people on average. The median age is 38.1, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
Is Elmira, New York urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Elmira, New York has 3,465 people per square mile, a density typical of a city. That is about 40 times the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Elmira, New York?
The median home costs 1.6 times the median household income ($71,724 against $43,684), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $909 a month takes about 25% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in Elmira, New York?
Unemployment in Elmira, New York is 9.9%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What share of adults in Elmira, New York have a college degree?
16.2% of adults in Elmira, New York hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 6), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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