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The Village of Alfred was incorporated in 1881 and lies in the north central part of the Town of Alfred on the eastern edge of Allegany County. The village was previously called Bakers Bridge and lies on Canacadea Creek.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 3.1 km˛ (1.2 mi˛). None of the area is covered with water.
As of the census 2 of 2000, there are 3,954 people, 530 households, and 169 families residing in the village. The population density is 1,293.8/km˛ (3,352.5/mi˛). There are 576 housing units at an average density of 188.5/km˛ (488.4/mi˛). The racial makeup of the village is 90.21% White, 4.40% Black or African American, 0.33% Native American, 2.71% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.21% from other races, and 1.11% from two or more races. 2.73% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 530 households out of which 12.3% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 26.0% are married couplesMarriage is a relationship that plays a key role in the definition of many families. Precise definitions vary historically and between and within cultures, but it has been an important concept as a socially sanctioned bond between people who (usually) are living together, 4.2% have a female householder with no husband present, and 68.1% are non-families. 38.9% of all households are made up of individuals and 10.6% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.05 and the average family size is 2.73.
In the village the population is spread out with 3.0% under the age of 18, 83.1% from 18 to 24, 5.9% from 25 to 44, 4.6% from 45 to 64, and 3.3% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 20 years. For every 100 females there are 144.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 147.2 males.
The median income for a household in the village is $21,313, and the median income for a family is $70,694. Males have a median income of $15,750 versus $39,375 for females. The per capita incomeThe per capita income for an area may be defined as the total personal income in an area, divided by the number of people in that area. A ranking of the top 10 countries, according to the 2004 CIA World Factbook (in US dollar) # Luxembourg $55,100 # Norwa for the village is $8,224. 37.7% of the population and 2.0% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 0.0% of those under the age of 18 and 2.8% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Alfred is a small village nested in the beautiful hills of Western New York along the Southern Tier. The layout of the valley is such that the lowest part contains the village, and upon the hills to the East and West are Alfred University and Alfred State College (respectively). The valley was originally called "Kanakadea" (or "Canakadea," or other spellings) by Native American Indians. Local college legends state that Kanakadea means "valley of the insane," as it was cursed either due to its being a burial ground, or purposefully by the Indians as they were forced out by European settlers.
Alfred is located in the 607 (telephone) area code, 14802 zip (postal) code, and is in the poorest county in the state ( Allegany), neighboring the second poorest ( Steuben). The closest cities are Hornell and Ithaca.
The elevation of Alfred is about 1450 feet, but due to the hilliness of the region, this varies greatly within the town. In Western New York (as in New England) there is a truism that "If you don't like the weather, wait ten minutes, it'll change." The hills greatly affect the weather, and resulting in quick changes as well as different conditions in neighboring valleys. The town is worth visiting on Hot Dog Day (early April).