Annsville	Augusta	Ava	Boonville
Bridgewater	Camden Ann Leuenberger - Editor	Deerfield	Florence
Floyd	Forestport	Kirkland	Lee Kathy Last - Editor
Marcy	Marshall	New Hartford	Paris
Remsen	Rome	Sangerfield	Steuben
Trenton	Utica	Verona	Vernon
Vienna	Western	Westmoreland	Whitestown

Walter Greenspan has provided an excellent explanation of towns, villages & hamlets: Most people confuse terminology.  Many times a town is called "township" and as many times, a hamlet is referred to as a town or village.  Adding to the
problem, there is great confusion between a community's border and the border(s) of the (several) postal zone(s) that service that or part of that community.

The LOCAL GOVERNMENT HANDBOOK, published by the State of New York Department of State provides some useful help as it has the official definition of cities, towns and villages.  (Townships and boroughs do not exist in New York
State and information about them is not included here.)  Copies of this highly recommended publication can be obtained by e-Mailing "info@dos.state.ny.us".

     Cities, Towns, Villages, Hamlets and Postal Zones in New York State

New York State is divided into counties.

County
A county is a municipal corporation, a subdivision of the state, created to perform state functions; a "regional" government  All counties are divided into cities, towns and Indian reservations.

City
A city is a unique governmental entity with its own special charter.  Cities are not sub-divided, except into neighborhoods which are informal geographic areas.

Town
A town is a municipal corporation and encompasses all territory within the state except that within cities or Indian reservations.  Towns can be sub-divided into villages and hamlets.

Village
A village is a general purpose municipal corporation formed voluntarily by the residents of an area in one or more towns to provide themselves with municipal services.  The pattern of village organization is similar to those of a city.  A village is divided into neighborhoods, which are informal geographic areas.

Hamlet
A hamlet is an unincorporated area in one or more towns that is governed at-large by the town(s) it is in.  A hamlet is divided into neighborhoods, which are informal geographic areas.

Postal Zone "City" and "Town"
A postal zone "City" and "Town" is an administrative district established by the U.S. Postal Service to deliver the mail.  Postal zone "City" and "Town" may not (but are encouraged to) conform to municipal or community borders.
Thus, postal zone location does not always determine city, village or hamlet location.

Please be aware:  In many areas of New York State, the problem of non-conforming postal zones leads to a situation where the majority of places have a different community name in their mailing address than the community where that place is actually located.