Herkimer County, New York
County in New York, United States
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Herkimer County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 60,139.[2] Its county seat is Herkimer.[3] The county was created in 1791 north of the Mohawk River out of part of Montgomery County. It is named after General Nicholas Herkimer,[4] who died from battle wounds in 1777 after taking part in the Battle of Oriskany during the Revolutionary War. The county is part of the Mohawk Valley region of the state.
Herkimer County, New York | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location within the U.S. state of New York | |
| Coordinates: 43°25′N 74°58′W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  New York |
| Founded | 1791 |
| Named after | Nicholas Herkimer |
| Seat | Herkimer |
| Largest town | German Flatts |
| Area | |
• Total | 1,458 sq mi (3,780 km2) |
| • Land | 1,411 sq mi (3,650 km2) |
| • Water | 46 sq mi (120 km2) 3.2% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 60,139[1] |
• Estimate (2025) | 59,219  |
| • Density | 42.6/sq mi (16.4/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 21st |
| Website | www |
Herkimer County is part of the Utica–Rome Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
In 1791, Herkimer County was created as one of three counties split off from Montgomery (the other two being Otsego and Tioga counties) as New York State was developed after the American Revolutionary War. Its area was much larger than the present county, however, and was reduced subsequently as more counties were organized.
Part of Herkimer County was included in the Macomb's Purchase of 1791, during the wide-scale sale of public lands after the state forced Iroquois tribes allied with the British during the war to cede their territory. Suddenly the state was selling 5 million acres (20,000 km2) of land in upstate, central and western New York.
In 1794, Onondaga County was split off from Herkimer County. This county was larger than the current Onondaga County, and included the present Cayuga, Cortland, and part of Oswego counties.
In 1798, portions of Herkimer and Tioga counties were taken to form Chenango County.
Another part of Herkimer was split off to form Oneida County. It was then larger than the current Oneida County, including the present Jefferson, Lewis, and part of Oswego counties.
In 1802, parts of Herkimer, Clinton and Montgomery counties were combined to form the new St. Lawrence County.
The rural economy was first based on general agriculture and then wheat, but after the opening of the Erie Canal, Herkimer farmers found that they could not compete with grain farmers to the west. By the mid-19th century, they had begun to specialize in dairy farming and created a cheese industry that supplied the New York City market, among others.
During the American Civil War, Herkimer contributed five companies to the 34th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment, leading to the unit's nickname "The Herkimer Regiment".
The Herkimer County Jail, constructed in 1834, was used to hold the murderer Chester Gillette before his trial at the Herkimer County Courthouse. The jail is now disused, except for tours by the Herkimer County Historical Society.
The Herkimer County shootings took place in 2013, killing five people.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,458 square miles (3,780 km2), of which 1,411 square miles (3,650 km2) is land and 46 square miles (120 km2) (3.2%) is water.[5]
Adjacent counties
- St. Lawrence County - north
- Hamilton County - northeast
- Fulton County - east
- Montgomery County - southeast
- Otsego County - south
- Oneida County - west
- Lewis County - northwest
Herkimer County is in central New York State, northwest of Albany, and east of Syracuse. The northern part of the county is in the Adirondack Park. The Mohawk River flows across the southern part of the county. Herkimer County is larger than the State of Rhode Island[6]
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1800 | 14,479 | — | |
| 1810 | 22,046 | 52.3% | |
| 1820 | 31,017 | 40.7% | |
| 1830 | 35,870 | 15.6% | |
| 1840 | 37,477 | 4.5% | |
| 1850 | 38,244 | 2.0% | |
| 1860 | 40,561 | 6.1% | |
| 1870 | 39,929 | −1.6% | |
| 1880 | 42,669 | 6.9% | |
| 1890 | 45,608 | 6.9% | |
| 1900 | 51,049 | 11.9% | |
| 1910 | 56,356 | 10.4% | |
| 1920 | 64,962 | 15.3% | |
| 1930 | 64,006 | −1.5% | |
| 1940 | 59,527 | −7.0% | |
| 1950 | 61,407 | 3.2% | |
| 1960 | 66,370 | 8.1% | |
| 1970 | 67,633 | 1.9% | |
| 1980 | 66,714 | −1.4% | |
| 1990 | 65,797 | −1.4% | |
| 2000 | 64,427 | −2.1% | |
| 2010 | 64,519 | 0.1% | |
| 2020 | 60,139 | −6.8% | |
| 2025 (est.) | 59,219 | [7] | −1.5% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[8] 1790–1960[9] 1900–1990[10] 1990–2000[11] 2010–2020[2] | |||
2020 census
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 1980[12] | Pop 1990[13] | Pop 2000[14] | Pop 2010[15] | Pop 2020[16] | % 1980 | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 66,119 | 64,990 | 62,667 | 61,690 | 54,653 | 99.11% | 98.77% | 97.27% | 95.62% | 90.88% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 114 | 182 | 305 | 640 | 682 | 0.17% | 0.28% | 0.47% | 0.99% | 1.13% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 83 | 106 | 121 | 137 | 76 | 0.12% | 0.16% | 0.19% | 0.21% | 0.13% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 101 | 138 | 255 | 325 | 359 | 0.15% | 0.21% | 0.40% | 0.50% | 0.60% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) | x [17] | x [18] | 10 | 8 | 32 | x | x | 0.02% | 0.01% | 0.05% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 38 | 11 | 15 | 36 | 153 | 0.06% | 0.02% | 0.02% | 0.06% | 0.25% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | x [19] | x [20] | 474 | 643 | 2,654 | x | x | 0.74% | 1.00% | 4.41% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 259 | 370 | 580 | 1,040 | 1,530 | 0.39% | 0.56% | 0.90% | 1.61% | 2.54% |
| Total | 66,714 | 65,797 | 64,427 | 64,519 | 60,139 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
2000 census
As of the census[21] of 2000, there were 64,427 people, 25,734 households, and 17,113 families residing in the county. The population density was 46 inhabitants per square mile (18/km2). There were 32,026 housing units at an average density of 23 units per square mile (8.9/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 97.83% White, 0.51% Black or African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.41% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.18% from other races, and 0.84% from two or more races. 0.90% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 20.6% were of Italian, 16.3% German, 13.9% Irish, 9.3% English, 7.7% Polish, 6.2% American and 5.2% French ancestry according to Census 2000. 95.2% spoke English, 1.2% Spanish and 1.1% Italian as their first language.
There were 25,734 households, out of which 30.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.20% were married couples living together, 10.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.50% were non-families. 27.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.40% under the age of 18, 8.30% from 18 to 24, 26.60% from 25 to 44, 24.00% from 45 to 64, and 16.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 94.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $32,924, and the median income for a family was $40,570. Males had a median income of $29,908 versus $21,518 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,141. About 8.90% of families and 12.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.60% of those under age 18 and 10.40% of those age 65 or over.
Government and politics
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2024 | 19,557 | 67.77% | 9,110 | 31.57% | 190 | 0.66% |
| 2020 | 18,871 | 64.36% | 9,939 | 33.90% | 512 | 1.75% |
| 2016 | 16,699 | 63.60% | 8,083 | 30.79% | 1,473 | 5.61% |
| 2012 | 13,282 | 53.04% | 11,273 | 45.02% | 485 | 1.94% |
| 2008 | 14,619 | 53.78% | 12,094 | 44.49% | 471 | 1.73% |
| 2004 | 16,024 | 56.60% | 11,675 | 41.24% | 611 | 2.16% |
| 2000 | 14,147 | 51.06% | 12,224 | 44.12% | 1,334 | 4.82% |
| 1996 | 10,085 | 37.88% | 11,910 | 44.73% | 4,631 | 17.39% |
| 1992 | 12,052 | 40.26% | 10,880 | 36.34% | 7,007 | 23.40% |
| 1988 | 15,104 | 53.90% | 12,694 | 45.30% | 224 | 0.80% |
| 1984 | 18,827 | 64.35% | 10,346 | 35.36% | 85 | 0.29% |
| 1980 | 14,105 | 50.58% | 11,497 | 41.23% | 2,286 | 8.20% |
| 1976 | 15,362 | 54.14% | 12,875 | 45.37% | 140 | 0.49% |
| 1972 | 20,194 | 67.84% | 9,487 | 31.87% | 86 | 0.29% |
| 1968 | 15,192 | 54.91% | 10,940 | 39.54% | 1,533 | 5.54% |
| 1964 | 10,159 | 33.51% | 20,136 | 66.42% | 22 | 0.07% |
| 1960 | 17,758 | 54.19% | 14,977 | 45.71% | 33 | 0.10% |
| 1956 | 22,246 | 71.68% | 8,789 | 28.32% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 20,980 | 64.26% | 11,599 | 35.53% | 70 | 0.21% |
| 1948 | 14,688 | 51.83% | 12,577 | 44.38% | 1,073 | 3.79% |
| 1944 | 15,656 | 55.75% | 12,381 | 44.08% | 48 | 0.17% |
| 1940 | 17,590 | 57.38% | 13,013 | 42.45% | 54 | 0.18% |
| 1936 | 15,941 | 54.73% | 12,847 | 44.10% | 341 | 1.17% |
| 1932 | 15,158 | 56.58% | 11,194 | 41.78% | 438 | 1.63% |
| 1928 | 18,624 | 62.69% | 10,654 | 35.86% | 431 | 1.45% |
| 1924 | 15,625 | 66.31% | 6,464 | 27.43% | 1,474 | 6.26% |
| 1920 | 14,310 | 65.27% | 6,507 | 29.68% | 1,107 | 5.05% |
| 1916 | 7,934 | 54.42% | 6,271 | 43.01% | 375 | 2.57% |
| 1912 | 4,665 | 34.35% | 5,122 | 37.72% | 3,793 | 27.93% |
| 1908 | 8,202 | 55.88% | 5,918 | 40.32% | 559 | 3.81% |
| 1904 | 8,319 | 56.80% | 5,827 | 39.79% | 499 | 3.41% |
| 1900 | 8,100 | 57.77% | 5,401 | 38.52% | 521 | 3.72% |
| 1896 | 8,096 | 59.77% | 5,027 | 37.11% | 422 | 3.12% |
| 1892 | 6,219 | 49.94% | 5,526 | 44.37% | 709 | 5.69% |
| 1888 | 6,683 | 52.87% | 5,611 | 44.39% | 346 | 2.74% |
| 1884 | 6,138 | 51.79% | 5,329 | 44.97% | 384 | 3.24% |
Herkimer County is one of the most Republican counties in New York. Since 1884, it has voted for a Democratic presidential candidate only three times, with vote splitting due to a third-party candidate playing a role in two of those races. In the Trump era, the county's Republican tilt has increased, with the 2020 and 2024 elections being the strongest performance for the party there since Nixon's 1972 landslide.[23] Since 2022, the entire county is within New York's 21st congressional district, presently held by Republican Elise Stefanik.
The Herkimer County Legislature consists of 17 members, each elected from single-member districts. As of 2023[update] the county legislature is almost entirely Republican: the single Democratic legislator also ran on the Conservative Party line.[24]
In January 2025, the chairman of the Herkimer County Legislature took a plea deal settling charges from May 2024 of drug possession, an open-container law violation, and failing to safely store a firearm.[25] On May 1, 2025, after being arrested for parole violation, he stepped down as chairman.[26]
Economy
Unusually clear, doubly terminated quartz crystals called Herkimer diamonds can be found in, and are named for, Herkimer County.[27]
Ilion was home to the original factory of the Remington Arms Company until it was closed in March 2024.[28]
Education
Herkimer County Community College is located in the Village of Herkimer.
School districts include:[29]
- Adirondack Central School District
- Central Valley School District
- Dolgeville Central School District
- Fort Plain Central School District
- Frankfort-Schuyler Central School District
- Herkimer Central School District
- Holland Patent Central School District
- Little Falls City School District
- Mount Markham Central School District
- New Hartford Central School District
- Oppenheim-Ephratah-St. Johnsville Central School District
- Poland Central School District
- Remsen Central School District
- Richfield Springs Central School District
- Sauquoit Valley Central School District
- Town of Webb Union Free School District
- Van Hornesville-Owen D. Young Central School District
- West Canada Valley Central School District
- Whitesboro Central School District
Transportation
Airport
The following public use airport is located in the county:[30]
- Frankfort-Highland Airport (6B4) – Frankfort
Rail
Passenger rail service by Amtrak is available at Utica, nearby to the west of the county. Up to the latter 1950s, New York Central Railroad trains such as the North Shore Limited (New York-Chicago) made stops at Little Falls.[31] Until 1965, the New York Central operated passenger trains through Thendara in the upper part of the county.[32][33]
Roads
Interstate 90, as part of the New York State Thruway, runs east–west through the lower part of the county, as does New York State Route 5. State Route 28 runs north–south through the county.
Communities
Larger settlements
| # | Location | Population | Type | Area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ilion | 7,646 | Village | Canalside |
| 2 | †Herkimer | 7,234 | Village | Canalside |
| 3 | Little Falls | 4,605 | City | Canalside |
| 4 | Mohawk | 2,415 | Village | Canalside |
| 5 | Frankfort | 2,320 | Village | Canalside |
| 6 | ‡Dolgeville | 2,042 | Village | Center |
| 7 | East Herkimer | 787 | CDP | Canalside |
| 8 | West Winfield | 733 | Village | South |
| 9 | Old Forge | 727 | CDP | Adirondack Park |
| 10 | East Frankfort | 496 | CDP | Canalside |
| 11 | Poland | 464 | Village | Center |
| 12 | Middleville | 407 | Village | Center |
| 13 | Salisbury Center | 323 | CDP | Center |
| 14 | Cold Brook | 250 | Village | Center |
| 15 | Thendara | 195 | CDP | Adirondack Park |
| 16 | South Ilion | 119 | CDP | Canalside |
| 17 | Eagle Bay | 54 | CDP | Adirondack Park |
