Southern Tier
Elmira, New York
Elmira is a city in Chemung County, in New York's Southern Tier region, home to about 26,500 people as of the 2020 census.
Binghamton spiedies, Corning glass, and the wooded Pennsylvania border. Elmira sits in that part of the state.
- Type
- City
- County
- Chemung
- Region
- Southern Tier
- Population (2020)
- 26,523
Local Almanac
Notes in and around Elmira
Short, sourced notes tied to this place, its county, or nearby communities.
This place · History & Culture
Elmira Holds Twain's Study and Civil War Memory
Elmira's story blends Mark Twain's writing legacy with Woodlawn National Cemetery and a difficult Civil War chapter.
Read this note ->This place · Home & Property
Elmira Occupancy Paperwork Comes Before Use
Elmira's permit page says certificates of occupancy are required before occupancy for new residential and all commercial structures.
Read this note ->This place · History & Culture
Elmira College Gives the City a Women's Education Story
Elmira College adds a local institution tied to early rigorous college education for women.
Read this note ->This place · History & Culture
Elmira's Arnot Museum Gives the City a Civic Art Address
Elmira's local identity includes an old civic art institution alongside river, college, and Mark Twain memory.
Read this note ->This place · Money & Taxes
Chemung Property Questions Start With Maps, Assessors, and Assessment Information
Chemung County Real Property Tax Services maintains parcel maps, supports assessors, and provides assessment and real-property information access.
Read this note ->This place · Cars & Driving
Chemung DMV License Work Needs Original Proofs in Hand
Chemung County’s DMV page lists full-service license work and says driver-license transactions need original birth certificate and other ID proofs.
Read this note ->This place · Money & Taxes
Chemung Tax Search Can Show Delinquent County-Town Taxes, But Payment Still Goes to Treasurer
Chemung County says delinquent county-town taxes are viewable online, while delinquent payments must be made directly to the Treasurer’s Office.
Read this note ->Nearby · History & Culture
Elmira Town is West Elmira streets, East Hill farms, and a river edge
The Town of Elmira's official description explains its split personality: residential West Elmira, East Hill farms, and a Chemung River edge.
Read this note ->Nearby · History & Culture
Horseheads Carries a Hard Name
Horseheads' local identity ties Chemung Valley movement, canal-era Fairport, and a Revolutionary War naming story that should be told carefully.
Read this note ->Property tax snapshot
Roughly $24–$26 per $1,000
Combined full-value rate — county + town/city + school district, per $1,000 of market value (FY2025). On a $300,000 home that's about $7,186–$7,870 a year before the STAR break.
A planning estimate, not a bill. Your exact rate depends on your school district and any village. Confirm with the assessor.
Statewide links
Statewide starting points.
Good to know
- • Your assessed value usually isn't your market value — ask for the equalization rate.
- • Register for STAR; new applicants generally receive a credit instead of an automatic exemption on the bill.
- • Outside the cities, check the well, the septic, and the FEMA flood map before you buy.
Nearby
Nearby places
Tax rates: NYS Dept of Taxation & Finance (ORPTS), Real Property Tax Rates and Levy Data by Municipality, data.ny.gov dataset iq85-sdzs. (FY2025). Population: U.S. Census 2020. Reviewed June 2026. Source data ->
Page feedback
Send a page note
Send a note about this page. The page address will be included automatically.
Page feedback
Send a note
This is for fixing the site: wrong details, unclear wording, broken links, outdated information, or useful local context.