Hornell is a small town in the forested west end of Steuben County, nicknamed “Maple City” for the tall red and sugar maple trees that surround it. Hornell benefits from its proximity to expansive natural parklands at home while being a short drive away from New York’s Finger Lakes region, a hub for fishing, boating and an established variety of local wineries. “Hornell is a place where neighbors look out for each other,” says Valorie Whitehill, executive director of Hornell Partners for Growth Inc. “Community events like the Thursdays at the Square, Fourth of July and St. Patrick’s Day Parades, Fall and Holiday celebrations bring people together, reinforcing its small-town warmth.”
According to the U.S. Census, Hornell’s population in 2020 was 8,263 residents, a 3.5% decline from 2010. From the 1850s through much of the 1960s, Hornell’s driving economic hub was the New York & Erie Railroad Company, which ran through the center of town. Though this old line no longer runs passenger trains in town, Hornell has a factory for Alstom Transport, a rail contractor that assembles Amtrak’s fleet of high-speed Acela trains. As of 2024, close to 700 local employees were working at Alstom. Health care is another prominent industry in Hornell, with between 500 and 1,000 working at the Saint James Mercy Hospital, an affiliate of the University of Rochester Medical Center.
Hornell is a small town in the forested west end of Steuben County, nicknamed “Maple City” for the tall red and sugar maple trees that surround it.
The Hornell Deopt Museum is a carefully restored train depot, where visitors can learn about the city’s railway history.
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Several city parks to enjoy, and within an hour of the Finger Lakes
Kanakadea Park offers hiking trails, baseball fields, basketball courts, rental cabins and campsites. The park also features Almond Pond, a 125-acre fishing lake stocked with black crappie and largemouth bass. “One of the most well-used parks in Hornell is Veterans Memorial Park at James Street,” says Whitehill. “This park features playgrounds, picnic areas, walking trails and sports fields. It also hosts community events like the Fourth of July celebration and fireworks.” Along Loder Street is the Hornell Erie Depot Museum, open on Fridays and Saturdays. The museum is a carefully restored train depot, where visitors can learn about the city’s railway history. Locals are a 30-mile drive from Keuka Lake and about 25 miles from Canandaigua Lake for fishing or kayaking in New York’s Finger Lakes area. Hornell experiences four distinct seasons and receives around 68 inches of average annual snowfall, well above the national average.
Kanakadea Park offers hiking trails, baseball fields, basketball courts, rental cabins and campsites.
Veterans Memorial Park at James Street has playgrounds, picnic areas, walking trails and sports fields.
Kanakadea Park near Hornell offers hiking trails, baseball fields, basketball courts, rental cabins and campsites.
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Civil War era homes with Post World War II options available
Single-family homes in Hornell range from $50,000 for smaller fixer-uppers to $250,000 for three- to five-bedroom Craftsman and American Foursquare homes. Multifamily Queen Anne properties, varying by age and square footage, are also on the market, ranging from $80,000 to $170,000. Most of the development around the center of town was built from the Civil War through the early 1910s, while farther on the city’s northern outskirts are postwar homes that might require less TLC. Recent crime statistics for Hornell are not readily available.
Multifamily Queen Anne properties in Hornell, varying by age and square footage, range in price from $80,000 to $170,000.
American Foursquare homes in Hornell range in price from $50,000 to $250,000 depending on their size.
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Over 300 businesses line Main Street
Most of Hornell’s local businesses line Main Street. Residents can browse antique stores, boutiques and salons or grab drinks and dinner at small, community-loved taverns. There’s also the Spotlight Hornell movie theater to catch the latest hit movies on a snowy day. “Hornell boasts a diverse array of over 300 local businesses that contribute to its vibrant community,” says Whitehill. “With organizations like the Hornell Industrial Development Agency and Hornell Partners for Growth supporting local businesses, the Hornell community and downtown area is seeing growth with new shops, restaurants, and revitalization efforts.” The nearby Finger Lakes region is considered New York’s Wine Country, so locals are less than an hour from established wineries, including Keuka Lake Vineyards and Arbor Hill Grapery and Winery, closer to Canandaigua Lake.
Recently, downtown Hornell has seen growth with new shops, restaurants, and revitalization efforts.
Hornell residents enjoy access to a diverse array of over 300 local businesses that contribute to its vibrant downtown community.
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Served by Hornell City School District
Hornell City School District serves the area and gets a C-plus from Niche. Several programs encourage academic excellence in several disciplines. The Drop Everything and Read, or DEAR Program, is a weeklong initiative in which guest readers come into participating schools and read to students.
Hornell City School District has a C-plus grade from Niche.
The student to teacher ratio at Hornell Senior High School is 12 to 1, which is higher than the New York state level of 11 to 1.
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Hornell is rich in community events
Thursdays at the Square is a summer concert series at Steuben Square featuring regional bands and food vendors and is hosted by the Hornell Partners for Growth. For the Fourth of July, there is a parade in downtown Hornell at midday, and once the sun sets, neighbors can come out to Veterans Memorial Park to watch fireworks. The Maple City Fall Festival, which takes place in mid-October, features live music, arts and crafts, food vendors and an area for kids’ activities. The festival has been a city staple for more than five years and is an opportunity to support local businesses and interact with the community. Community Bike Ride is hosted by Hornell Public Library and sponsored by the Hornell Police Department and other municipal groups to give residents of all ages a chance to enjoy cycling in the summertime.
I-390 leads to Rochester
Commuters can take Interstate 390 just 68 miles north to reach Rochester, taking a little over an hour. Due to Hornell’s secluded nature, residents rely on having a car to get around.
Written By
Maxwell Olarinde
Photography Contributed By
Brandon Vick
Video By
Lucas Dyke
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