Palmyra is a town and village in Wayne County, New York. The population was 7,512 at the 2019 census. The town is named after the ancient city Palmyra in Syria.

Palmyra was part of the Phelps and Gorham Purchase (1788).

The Town of Palmyra, originally called "Swift's Landing" after its founder General John Swift, was created in 1789. The town was also known as "District of Tolland" before adopting its present name in 1796. By 1800, the town's population was about 1000.

The Village of Palmyra, within the Town, was incorporated in 1827.

The governments of Palmyra, Town and Village, share a mission: the development and maintenance of a community in which families can live in comfort and safety and in which businesses can prosper. To that end, both the Palmyra Town Board and the Palmyra Village Board focus on economic development as a means to achieve that goal.

The Village of Palmyra, 1.3 square miles in size and with a population just over 3,500 residents, has minimal area for physical growth. As a result, the economic focus is on the support of and promotion of existing businesses and the acquisition of new. The village has become a tourism destination, drawing not only regional visitors, but also those from a distance via tour buses, the Erie Canal and  the Canal Trail. Visitors are drawn to Palmyra by the historic sites of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons). Others come to experience the village’s architecture which includes more than 200 properties – commercial, residential, government and sacred - on the National Register of Historic Places and the  nationally recognized museums of Historic Palmyra

Enhancements at the Port of Palmyra Marina include free wi-fi (also in the central business block), a newly opened restroom/ shower complex and a surveillance system, all of which entice visitors to visit and linger in Palmyra and our residents to enjoy these amenities. The presence of a full time local Police Department and a surveillance system at the marina add to the sense of security. Jointly, the town and village promote Palmyra through memberships in Greater Rochester Visitors, Finger Lakes Alliance and Canal New York Marketing and Business Alliance and online.