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THE NEED

STRUGGLING FAMILIES

Rising costs and shrinking government programs affect many aspects of family life."Rural poverty hides better than in the city." Our neighbors in the Town of Colesville experience food insecurity, face challenges in finding affordable childcare and housing, and often do not have reliable transportation to access services and employment.

AGING POPULATION

The population of senior citizens in Colesville is increasing, which creates the need for more services and programs to help older residents live independently.  ​ ​

VOLUNTEER SHORTAGE

Many local volunteer roles--particularly youth programs and emergency services--require increased screening, training and time commitment that reduces the availability of volunteers, leading some nonprofits to cut services or move to a paid staff model.

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  • There are approximately 1919 households in the Town of Colesville. The population of the township has declined by about 15% since a peak in 2002 to an estimated 4654 in 2025.

  • The per capita income in Colesville is 80% of the per capita income for Broome County as a whole and approximately 60% of New York State as a whole

  • 37% of households in Colesville have an annual income under $50,000. 13% of households receive public assistance. Three in five senior citizens in the township have income of less than $50,000 and nearly 29% have an income of under $30,000.

  • The median age of Colesville residents is 43.6 years--about 10% higher than both the County and state. 22% of residents (more than one in five) are 65 years old or older; 25% are 18 years old or younger--meaning that almost half of the township's population is made up of children and senior citizens.

  • 7.6% of residents are military veterans, a rate 20% higher than Broome County and twice the New York State rate. Nearly 20% of those 65 years old or older are veterans.

  • Nearly 14% of those 65 years and older in Colesville do not have access to a vehicle. 

  • 89% of residents have a high school diploma or more--about the same percentage as the county and the state. 11.8% have a bachelor's degree or higher--about 2/5 of the Broome County rate and 1/3 of the New York State rate.

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Sources: (1) CensusReporter.org, using data from the US Census Bureau sourced on 10/23/2025 at censusreporter.org; (2) Office of the New York State Comptroller on 10/23/2025 at wwel.osc.state.ny.us; (3) Town of Colesville, New York Aging Demographics Fact Sheet sourced on 10/23/2025 at https://broomecountyny.gov>files>dept>senior

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NEEDS BY THE NUMBERS

FOOD INSECURITY

  • Use of food pantry services by low income families by zip code per a 2023 Broome County Food Council study:

    • 13787: 60.4%

    • 13833: 55.9%

    • 13813: 50.0%

  • 50 to 90 families visit town food bank per month, with usage increasing during the winter months when fuel costs consume a greater proportion of family budgets

  • At least 25 students take home food to their families from Harpursville school food pantry each week

emergency services

  • 300 to 400 calls handled by ambulance squad per year

  • 400 to 475 responses to emergencies per year by the three fire companies in the Town of Colesville

  • Training requirements for volunteers are increasingly complex and time consuming, which is reducing the pool of potential volunteers and making recruitment more difficult--leading to the need for filing gaps with paid staff

SENIOR SERVICES

COMMUNITY & CULTURAL

  • Eastern Broome Senior Center serves over 525 individuals per year​

  • 5864 meals were provided by the Eastern Broome Senior Center last year 

  • Approximately 2700 visits are made to the Nineveh Public Library each year. The number of monthly visits range from 175 to 450, with an average of approximately 225 per month.

  • 130 to 150 children participate per season in Harpursville Youth Sports Association programs, requiring a full staff of qualified volunteer coaches.

  • 50 to 100 visits are made each year to the Doraville Schoolhouse and Museum. 

  • Approximately 200 visits are made each year to the St. Luke's Church and Museum.

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