10 Best Independent Living Communities in Herkimer, NY

Independent Living

For seniors who would like to live primarily without assistance but would like the benefit of having housekeeping taken care of by professionalls, an Independent Living Community could be the perfect option. Seniors may live their lives as they see fit while their meals are prepared by a professionall chef, housekeeping and laundry duties are handled by staff, and recreational activities are scheduled and organized. Along with their daily needs being met, residents can enjoy an opportunity to be among peers, in a community with others of similar ages and backgrounds. Typically consisting of a private living area and a full kitchen, these communities offer residences with many of the amenities of apartment life but with none of the hassle. Guests can be invited over and entertained, and more time can be spent with them with the basic maintenance of daily chores out of the way. While policies differ between communities, many residences allow pets as well. If residents decide they would like to utilize the services of private health care providers, they may always do so. There are an assortment of costs and advantages to consider when selecting an independent living community. It is important to determine if these amenities are included in your service plan: meals, internet access, cable TV, parking, housekeeping, private phone, transportation, and move-in fee. The amenities associated with independent living include private rental hall, fitness center & swimming pool, healthcare center, transportation, game/TV room, concierge services, security guards, and laundry service.

Demographics and Values

In Herkimer, 18.8% live in poverty, 20.9% have some form of disability, 6.1% do not have health insurance, and 56.1% participate in the labor force. Herkimer has a population density of 1,100 people per square mile. Currently, the population of Herkimer consists of 7,380 people. Based on gender, 46.4% are male and 53.6% are female. The median age of Herkimer is 41 years old. Racially, the population of Herkimer is 2.0% Hispanic, 1.4% Asian, 0.3% Native American, 1.2% other or not specified, 91.0% white, 3.0% mixed race, 3.2% black, and 0.0% Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian. In Herkimer, 11.3% of the population are veterans of the United States armed forces. Of the population of Herkimer 7.1% have a graduate degree, 17.4% have a college degree, and 34.6% have a high-school diploma.

Cost of Living

The overall cost of care for a community is determined by the destination in which it is located. The rent burden for Herkimer is around 17.3% of the average monthly income. Monthly, the median rent in Herkimer is $746 and the median value of a house in Herkimer is about $81,564.

State Information

An overview of New York

There are 205 hospitals and 496 health centers that service a population of 19,493,819. Hospital For Special Surgery, Albany Memorial Hospital, and And Northern Duchess Hospital are among the top three highest ranked hospitals in the state. Based on natural beauty, New York ranks 24th in the nation. In terms of resources, New York has a cost of living index of 135.7, a grocery index rating of 114.8, and a housing index rating of 204.4. These index ratings are based on a system where 100 is considered the national average and anything above 100 is considered more expensive than said average. Overall, New York ranks 25th in quality of life and 13th in healthcare compared to other US states.

Social demographics of the state

The state has a median age of 39 and 30% of its population being over the age of 55. In terms of religious values, 29% of New York’s population regularly attend some form of service and there are in total 14,110 different congregations. The top three Christian denominations in the state are Evangelical Protestant-10%, Mainline Protestant-11%, and Historically Black Protestant-5%. The top three non-Christian denominations in the state are Jewish-7%, Muslim-2%, and Buddhist-<1%. In New York there are 72 masonic lodges. The state of New York ranks 5th in the country for diversity and the state is considered very LGBTQ friendly. In the most recent presidential election, 37% of New York residents voted Republican and 59% voted Democrat.

State-wide weather information

On average, New York has an air quality index rating of around 34.2 AQI. The highest seasonal air quality index rating occurs in the month of May with a rating of 44.5 AQI. On average, the state receives 3.54 inches of precipitation a month. The most precipitation occurs in October with an average of 6.10 inches of precipitation a month. The average temperature in the summer rises to around 68F. Over the summer months the average high temperature peaks at around 86F during the month of July. The average low summer temperature is around 48F in the month of June. During the winter, the average temperature in New York drops to around 25F. During the winter, the average high temperature peaks at around 25F during the month of December. In the winter months, the average low temperature falls to around 2F during the month of January. New York experiences an average humidity rating of about 71%. Humidity levels tend to reach their peak in the month of December at around 77%. While residents of New York mostly enjoy pleasant conditions, it’s important to be aware of inclement weather as well, which in New York can include floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, and and earthquakes (moderate).

Wildlife to be found in New York

The state of New York has a diverse array of plant and animal life. Local plant life can consist of swamp milkweed, smooth white beardtongue, canada anemone, and bluets. While venturing throughout the state, you might see animals such as the mink, the moose, the gray fox, or the canada lynx. The state animal of New York is the beaver.