Manufacturing is a key factor in Elmira's economy, along with commercial retail businesses.  Several major shopping centers are located around the city.  The Elmira Empire Zone was created to attract even more industries and it offers a numbers of incentives to new firms.  Elmira residents have long been known for their outstanding work ethics, their perseverance, and their pride in performance, making the available workforce quite attractive to relocating companies.

Elmira, NY is the county seat of Chemung County, which has been called Mark Twain Country.  The famous author summered just outside of Elmira for over 20 years, and was inspired by the beauty of the region.  An octagonal, fully glassed study was built for him and it was there that he worked on many of his finest books, including The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.  Mark Twain and his wife are buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in Elmira, and the study is now open to the public.

Chemung County and Elmira, NY are the focal point for the region's modern business community, but both have retained their friendly, hometown atmosphere.  The largest concentration of Victorian-era homes in the entire state of New York can be found in Elmira's Westside Historic District, and along Maple Ave is an area known as Antiques Alley for its large amount of antique and specialty shops.

The rich history of Chemung County is preserved in The Chemung Valley History Museum in Elmira.  Once known as Newtown, Elmira was the site of a Revolutionary War battle. During the Civil war, it housed a Union prison camp and was also a stop on the Underground Railway.  Another popular museum in Elmira is The National Soaring Museum.  It is an aviation museum working to preserve the history of motorless flight.

Elmira's population was 30,940 according to the Census 2000.  The median family income was $33,600.  The educational system prides itself in the high national ratings its students achieve. The Elmira Business Institute and Elmira College are available for higher learning, and the Corning Community College http://www.corning-cc.edu/, a New York State University, is only 15 miles away.

Elmira, NY, built along the banks of the lovely Chemung River, is a city with much promise for the future, while retaining its values of the past.