Changing weather, changes local population

TRI-COUNTY AREA--With the many favorable conditions of the Finger Lakes area, it is not an uncommon practice for people to purchase a house or cottage to reside in for a portion of the year. Yet, as the summer months are the most popular for visitors, when the colder weather comes it also causes some to seek a warmer climate for the colder months. Depending on where a town is located appears to have a factor on just how much of the population decides to leave for the winter.
It is common for those who leave the area for a significant period to cancel or forward their local mail service during that time. Penn Yan Postmaster Cynthia Bailey said out of the 6,100 addresses her office delivers mail to, "less than 1,000" end up canceling their service during the winter months. She said her delivery area includes the village of Penn Yan (14527), Branchport (14418) and Keuka Park (14478). She added that number is "probably on the higher end," saying it tends to change from month to month as well as year to year. Bailey said the major months for cancellations tend to be January, February and March.
"It is not as many as people think," Bailey said. "There is really no set number, as people come and go all the time. It changes every year."
In the Dundee area (14837) Postmaster Dan Leonard said of the 2,703 addresses within his delivery area, around 250 end up changing their local delivery service for a significant period during the winter. He said there are 200 they know of who notify the office of the service cancellation, but said there are around 50 more who do leave the area without notifying the post office as well.
The village of Watkins Glen shows the lowest percentage of those who change delivery. Postmaster Don Stocum said of the 3,313 addresses his office delivers to in both Watkins Glen (14891) and Montour Falls (14865), only 40 people cancel their deliveries during the winter months. He added there are more who cancel their service short-term in the area, but said it is only 40 who cancel their service for a significant period of three months or longer.