Country United States County Tioga Elevation 248 m Population 3,813 (2013) Area code 607 | State New York Settled 1785 (1785) Zip code 13827 Local time Tuesday 2:43 PM | |
Incorporated April 4, 1827 (1827-04-04) Named for Unami language word meaning "where the valley widens" Weather 12°C, Wind N at 6 km/h, 89% Humidity Area 6.993 km² (6.475 km² Land / 52 ha Water) | ||
Owego is a village in and the county seat of Tioga County, New York, United States. The population was 3,896 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Binghamton Metropolitan Statistical Area. The name is derived from the Iroquois word Ahwaga, meaning where the valley widens.
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The Village of Owego is by the west town line of the Town of Owego and is west of Binghamton, New York.
Owego is one of only twelve villages in New York still incorporated under a charter; all other New York villages have incorporated or re-incorporated under the provisions of Village Law.
History
The village of Owego was established in 1787. When the "Town of Tioga" was created from the Town of Union, Owego village was in Tioga. In 1813, Tioga and Owego switched names, putting the village in the same-named town. The current Town of Tioga is now just west of the village. The village is in the Owego-Apalachin Central School District. Three district buildings are within the village's limits: The District Office Building, the Owego Elementary School, and the combined Owego-Apalachin Middle School and Owego Free Academy building, all on Sheldon Guile Boulevard.
The Evergreen Cemetery, St. Paul's Church, Owego Central Historic District, Tioga County Courthouse, and United States Post Office are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The James C. Beecher House was listed in 2012.
2009 America's Coolest Small Towns
Owego was named by Budget Travel magazine's readers as The Coolest Small Town in the United States in a poll. Results were announced on The Early Show, April 15, 2009 with Budget Travel's editor in chief, Nina Willdorf with Harry Smith.
Geography
Owego is located at 42°6′15″N 76°15′48″W (42.104374, -76.263436).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 2.7 square miles (7.0 km²), of which, 2.5 square miles (6.5 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.6 km²) of it (8.12%) is water.
Owego is on the Susquehanna River where the Owego Creek flows into the Susquehanna from the north.
A bridge connects the village to the Southern Tier Expressway (New York State Route 17), which is on the south side of the river. Owego is located on NY-17C, south of the junction of NY-96 and NY-38.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,911 people, 1,664 households, and 978 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,566.7 people per square mile (604.0/km²). There were 1,913 housing units at an average density of 766.3 per square mile (295.4/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 95.42% White, 1.15% Black or African American, 0.46% Native American, 1.02% Asian, 0.33% from other races, and 1.61% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.82% of the population.
There were 1,664 households out of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.5% were married couples living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.2% were non-families. 35.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the village, the population was spread out with 23.3% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 94.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.9 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $31,742, and the median income for a family was $43,139. Males had a median income of $27,299 versus $20,268 for females. The per capita income for the village was $17,068. About 10.3% of families and 13.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.0% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over.