Population60,589 (July 1, 2025 Census estimate)
A Lakeside Village and a College City
Otsego County, New YorkOtsego County brings together Cooperstown at the southern end of Otsego Lake and the college city of Oneonta. Baseball history, performing arts, and higher education contribute different local identities. Beyond those centers, the county retains a rural landscape with a long connection to dairy farming. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated 60,589 residents in Otsego County, New York, on July 1, 2025.
Otsego County at a Glance
Population60,589 (July 1, 2025 Census estimate)
County SeatCooperstown
StateNew York
Established1791
ZIP CodesVary by address
Total Area, Including Water1,015.758 square miles, including water (2020 Census geography)
Road InformationState transportation resources below
Area CodesSee local phone listingsMeet Local Businesses
Support the businesses that help make our communities thrive. From family-owned shops and restaurants to trusted local services, discover businesses worth visiting throughout the county.

Otsego County
Otsego County was established in 1791, with Cooperstown serving as its county seat. Cooperstown’s origins are associated with William Cooper, father of writer James Fenimore Cooper, and its location at the southern end of Otsego Lake. Oneonta developed as another important center and is home to two higher-education institutions. These separate civic, literary, and educational connections give the county a history that extends beyond the baseball heritage most often associated with its best-known village.
Cooperstown offers baseball history and a lakeside setting, while Oneonta brings a college-city atmosphere through Hartwick College and SUNY Oneonta. The county’s performing-arts connections add another cultural dimension. Beyond those centers, rural communities and dairy-farming landscapes remain part of the wider setting. A visit that makes room for both a village and the surrounding county offers a fuller impression than concentrating exclusively on a single museum or institution.
What Shapes Us
Local Character
Otsego County brings together Cooperstown at the southern end of Otsego Lake and the college city of Oneonta. Baseball history, performing arts, and higher education contribute different local identities.
Community History
Cooperstown’s origins are associated with William Cooper, father of writer James Fenimore Cooper, and its location at the southern end of Otsego Lake.
Around the County
Cooperstown offers baseball history and a lakeside setting, while Oneonta brings a college-city atmosphere through Hartwick College and SUNY Oneonta.
Otsego County
Places and perspectives from Otsego County
New York & Atlantic Railway Receives $6.5 Million Federal CRISI Grant, Joining State and Private Funding in a $10.9 Million Partnership to Upgrade Four Locomotives with Cleaner Technology
Read the Story Oct 28, 2026 • 2 min readAround Otsego County
Stories from every corner of Otsego County.
New York & Atlantic Railway Receives $6.5 Million Federal CRISI Grant, Joining State and Private Funding in a $10.9 Million Partnership to Upgrade Four Locomotives with Cleaner Technology
Oct 28, 2026 • 2 min read
State Department of Transportation to Host Two Public Information Meetings for Proposed Projects in Towns of Wirt and Burns, Allegany County
Oct 28, 2026 • 2 min read
State Department of Transportation Announces Completion of $19.9 Million Bridge Replacement Project in Hamilton County
Oct 28, 2026 • 2 min read
Governor Hochul Announces Completion of Major Work on the Transformative Van Wyck Expressway Project
Oct 26, 2026 • 2 min read
War on Potholes: Governor Hochul Fills the One Millionth Pothole on State Roads in 2026
Oct 22, 2026 • 2 min readMeet Local Businesses
Support the businesses that help make our communities thrive. From family-owned shops and restaurants to trusted local services, discover businesses worth visiting throughout the county.
Find the Right Local Connection
Start with the organization responsible for the service you need. Follow its official link for current requirements, office locations and availability.
County photographs from Wikimedia Commons; images may be cropped for display.
- Village of Unadilla, New York.jpg — Tyler A. McNeil. CC BY 3.0. Own work
- Otsego lake at lakefront.jpg — 420Traveler. CC BY-SA 4.0. I phone
Government
Schools
Public school contacts
Selected local schools from the NCES 2024-2025 directory. Contact the school or district to confirm enrollment, attendance boundaries and current services; this is not a complete school list.
Cherry Valley-Springfield Central School – Other; grades PK-12. 597 COUNTY HWY 54, CHERRY VALLEY, NY 13320. 607-264-3265.
Cooperstown Elementary School – Elementary; grades KG-06. 21 WALNUT ST, COOPERSTOWN, NY 13326. 607-547-9976.
Edmeston Central School – Other; grades PK-12. 11 NORTH ST, EDMESTON, NY 13335. 607-965-8931.
Gilbertsville-Mount Upton Elementary School – Elementary; grades PK-06. 693 STATE HWY 51, GILBERTSVILLE, NY 13776. 607-783-2207.
Laurens Central School – Other; grades PK-12. 55 MAIN ST, LAURENS, NY 13796. 607-432-2050.
Milford Central School – Other; grades PK-12. 42 W MAIN ST, MILFORD, NY 13807. 607-286-3349.
Morris Central School – Other; grades PK-12. 65 MAIN ST, MORRIS, NY 13808. 607-263-6100.
Hospitals
Local hospital contacts
Facility contacts from the CMS Hospital General Information directory, updated July 22, 2026. Contact the facility directly to confirm current services and appointment arrangements.
Bassett Healthcare – Acute Care Hospitals. One Atwell Road, Cooperstown, NY 13326. 607-547-3456.
Aurelia Osborn Fox Memorial Hospital – Acute Care Hospitals. One Norton Avenue, Oneonta, NY 13820. 607-432-2000.
Public Safety
Emergency Services
New York statewide resources
State Parks
Plan a New York park trip with official park finders, camping tools, events, passes, historic sites and recreation information.
- Find a State Park — Search New York state parks by region, county and recreation options.
- New York State Parks — Main portal for parks, historic sites, recreation, events and visitor information.
- Camping — Camping information, policies and reservation guidance for state parks.
- Park Activities — Explore trails, boating, swimming, golf, birding and seasonal activities.
- Park Regions — Browse parks and recreation opportunities by New York State Parks region.
- Historic Sites — Explore state-operated historic sites, museums and heritage destinations.
- DEC Places to Go — Find state forests, wildlife areas, campgrounds and other DEC-managed lands.
- DEC Camping — Camping information for DEC campgrounds and backcountry areas.
New York statewide resources
Trails
Find hiking, biking and multi-use trails, maps, safety information and public-land recreation throughout New York.
- DEC Hiking — Hiking destinations, seasonal suggestions, trail guidance and Hike Smart NY safety information.
- New York State Parks Trails — Trail information for parks and historic-site properties.
- DECinfo Locator — Interactive map for trails, parking, campsites, lean-tos and state-managed lands.
- Empire State Trail — Official information for the statewide multi-use trail connecting major regions of New York.
- Accessible Recreation — Find accessible hiking, fishing, boating, camping and picnic locations.
- State Park Activities — Browse hiking, biking, snowmobiling and other outdoor recreation options.
- DEC Places to Go — Discover public lands and recreation areas across the state.
- Hike Smart NY — Safety, planning and preparedness information for New York hikers.
Utilities
Libraries
Molinari Supreme Court Library
Local library contacts
Locations and public phone numbers are from the IMLS FY2024 Public Libraries Survey. Call the branch to confirm current hours and services before visiting.
Cherry Valley Memorial Library – 61 Main Street, Cherry Valley, NY 13320. 607-264-8214.
Village Library Of Cooperstown – 22 Main Street, Cooperstown, NY 13326. 607-547-8344.
Edmeston Free Library – 6 West Street, Edmeston, NY 13335. 607-965-8208.
Gilbertsville Free Library – 17 Commercial Street, Gilbertsville, NY 13776. 607-783-2832.
Kinney Memorial Library – 3140 County Route 11, Hartwick, NY 13348. 607-293-6600.
Milford Free Library – 64 South Main Street, Milford, NY 13807. 607-286-9076.
New York statewide resources
Courts
Find courts, case information, forms, self-help guidance and court services through the New York State Unified Court System.
- New York Courts — Main portal for the New York State Unified Court System.
- Find a Court — Search courts by county, court type and case type.
- CourtHelp — Plain-language information for people handling common court matters.
- eCourts — Access public case information for supported New York court matters.
- Court Forms — Find statewide and court-specific forms.
- Programs & Services — Access ADR, accessibility, criminal-history search and other court-user services.
- Jury Service — Official New York juror information and service guidance.
- Law Libraries — Find court law libraries and legal-research assistance.
Motor Vehicle Services
Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
New York statewide resources
Transportation
Check traffic and transit conditions, travel information, state highways and transportation services before you go.
- New York State Department of Transportation — State highway, transportation program, project and safety information.
- 511NY — Live traffic, incidents, road conditions, transit and travel information.
- NYSDOT Travel Center — Travel tools, winter road conditions, transit information and trip-planning resources.
- 511NY TransLinks — Find public transportation, paratransit and travel links by region or county.
- New York State Thruway Authority — Thruway traffic, tolling, service areas and traveler information.
- MTA — Subway, bus, commuter rail and transit information for the New York metropolitan region.
- Amtrak New York — Intercity passenger rail information serving New York destinations.
- Travel Information, Advisories & Maps — State travel advisories, maps and road-information links.
Postal Services
USPS location finder — Search by street address, city or ZIP Code for nearby post offices, collection boxes and available services.
USPS ZIP Code lookup — Find the mailing ZIP Code for a specific street address.
USPS Hold Mail — Arrange a temporary mail hold and review identity-verification requirements.
USPS change of address and forwarding — Review forwarding options and submit an address-change request through USPS.
USPS package pickup — Check pickup availability for your address and schedule eligible shipments.
Veterans
National services available to local residents
VA accredited representatives — Find help with VA claims and benefit applications.
VA health care applications — Review application options and supporting information.
VA disability claims — Find the official steps for submitting a disability claim.
GI Bill and education benefits — Review how to apply for VA education benefits.
Veteran career and employment support — Explore VA employment, training and career assistance.
Employment
Office for Employment and Training
National services available to local residents
USAJOBS federal employment — Search federal openings by location and occupation.
Apprenticeship Finder — Search apprenticeship opportunities by location and occupation.
My Next Move career exploration — Explore occupations, industries and career interests.
Government job-training resources — Find routes to state training programs and support for different job seekers.
Unemployment benefit guidance — Find your state program and its application and eligibility information.
Get to Know Otsego County
Useful answers for residents, visitors and anyone planning their next step.
Otsego County Questions, Answered
Explore practical details about the county and the organizations that serve it.
60,589 (July 1, 2025 Census estimate). This is a dated Census Bureau estimate, rather than a live resident count.
1,015.758 square miles, including water (2020 Census geography). The total combines land and water area.
Start with Board of Elections, linked from the government source used for this county. Check that page for current details before visiting or submitting a request.
Start with Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), linked from the government source used for this county. Check that page for current details before visiting or submitting a request.
Start with Emergency Medical Services (Ambulance), linked from the government source used for this county. Check that page for current details before visiting or submitting a request.
Start with Molinari Supreme Court Library, linked from the government source used for this county. Check that page for current details before visiting or submitting a request.
Start with Office for Employment and Training, linked from the government source used for this county. Check that page for current details before visiting or submitting a request.
Start with Sheriff’s Office, linked from the government source used for this county. Check that page for current details before visiting or submitting a request.
Start with Solid Waste, linked from the government source used for this county. Check that page for current details before visiting or submitting a request.
Start with Veterans Service Agency, linked from the government source used for this county. Check that page for current details before visiting or submitting a request.
Use USPS ZIP Code Lookup for the mailing ZIP Code of a specific street address. Use the USPS location finder to search for nearby postal facilities and available services. An address lookup is more useful for mailing than assuming the entire county shares one ZIP Code.
Meet Local Businesses
Support the businesses that help make our communities thrive. From family-owned shops and restaurants to trusted local services, discover businesses worth visiting throughout the county.
Find Something Fun
Make Time to ExploreBrowse local places by the kind of day you have in mind.



