As of the census of 2000, there were 6,363 people, 2,446 households, and 1,746 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 2,603 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 98.11% White, 0.41% Black or African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.30% from other races, and 0.68% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.85% of the population.

There were 2,446 households, out of which 35.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.9% were married couples living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.6% were non-families. 22.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.6% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $41,321, and the median income for a family was $51,968. Males had a median income of $34,873 versus $23,656 for females. The per capita income for the town was $20,145. About 6.3% of families and 9.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.7% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in the Town of Homer

  • East Homer – a hamlet east of Homer village, located on NY-13
  • East River – a hamlet southwest of East Homer
  • Homer – the village of Homer is on the southern border of the town, north of Cortland on US-11 and NY-281; Homer is next to the West Branch of the Tioughnioga River
  • Little York – a hamlet north of Pratt Corner on NY-281
  • Pratt Corners – A hamlet north of Homer village on NY-281.

Notable people

  • Isaac Atwater — jurist
  • Alexander O. Babcock — politician
  • Horatio Ballard — lawyer and politician
  • Sarah E. Beard — medical researcher
  • Catherine Bertini — public servant
  • Amelia Bloomer — newspaper editor, women's rights and temperance advocate
  • George W. Bradford — physician and politician
  • Francis Bicknell Carpenter — painter
  • Meriva M. Carpenter — painter
  • Patrick Conway — bandleader
  • Erastus Milo Cravath — pastor
  • Dale Dorman — disc jockey
  • Milo Goodrich — U.S. representative
  • Adin P. Hobart — politician
  • William H. Hurlbut — politician
  • Albert Keep — railroad official and financier
  • Asa Kinney — businessman, politician, and Wisconsin pioneer
  • Linda A. Mason — charity executive
  • Manly Miles, zoologist and agriculturalist
  • George L. Otis — lawyer and politician
  • Arthur C. Sidman — vaudeville performer and playwright
  • William Stoddard — journalist, inventor, and author
  • Eugene A. Tucker — attorney and politician
  • Eleazer Wakeley — lawyer, politician, judge, and pioneer of Wisconsin and Nebraska
  • Solmous Wakeley — legislator
  • Andrew Dickson White — co-founder of Cornell University and a U.S. ambassador
  • Orrin T. Williams — judge, lawyer, and politician

See also

  • Homer Central Schools
  • Homer Senior High School (New York)

References

  • Town of Homer official website
  • Town of Homer at Cortland County website
  • Homer Central School District
  • Early history of Homer, NY
  • Cortland County BDC - IDA