ZIP Code 13904

Binghamton is a city and the county seat of Broome County in the U.S. state of New York. It lies in the state's Southern Tier region near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the confluence of the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers. The city was named after William Bingham, a wealthy Philadelphian who bought the 10,000 acre patent for the land in 1786. Binghamton was a transportation crossroads and a manufacturing center, and has been known at different times for the production of cigars, shoes, and computers. IBM was founded nearby, and the flight simulator was invented in the city, leading to a notable concentration of electronics- and defense-oriented firms. Starting with job cuts made by defense firms towards the end of the Cold War, the region lost a large part of its manufacturing industry. Today, while there is a continued concentration of high-tech firms, Binghamon is emerging as a healthcare- and education-focused city, with Binghampton University acting as much of the driving force behind this revitalization. It is home to a quarter million people, according to the 2020 census, and is expected to grow to 47,969 by the year 2020. It was once the second-largest manufacturer of cigars in the United States. During the Second World War, growth continued as IBM emerged as a global technology leader. In the early 1920s, Endicott Johnson, a shoe manufacturer whose development of welfare capitalism resulted in many amenities for local residents, became the region's largest employer.

History

Binghamton was named after William Bingham, a wealthy Philadelphian who bought the 10,000 acre patent for the land in 1786. The first known people of European descent to come to the area were the troops of the Sullivan Expedition in 1779, during the American Revolutionary War. The Chenango Canal, completed in 1837, connected Binghamton to the Erie Canal, and was the impetus for the initial industrial development of the area. The city's population peaked at around 85,000 in the mid-1950s. In the 21st century, the city has tried to diversify its economic base to spur revitalization. Major emphasis has been placed on a downtown campus and several student housing complexes. In 2011, the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee topped flood walls in the surrounding metropolitan area, causing $1 billion in damage. The most severe floods have stymied the recovery: most of the impact of the storm was in the Mid-Atlantic United States of the United States, not the Midwestern U.S. state of New York. In 2012, Binghamon was the site of the Super Bowl XLVIII halftime show, hosted by the New England Patriots and the New York Yankees, and hosted the Superbowl XLVII halftime show by the Philadelphia 76ers and the Philadelphia Eagles. The Super Bowl was held in New York City's Times Square, which is located on the East River. It was the first Super Bowl to be held in the city, and the first to be broadcast from the city.

Geography

Downtown Binghamton sits at the confluence of the Chenango and Susquehanna Rivers. The city was laid out on a grid system by Joshua Whitney, Jr., but as development spread to the outer regions of the city and merged with other settlements, several grids were eventually juxtaposed against each other. In the Southside, the grid breaks down, as more curvilinear roads make up the predominantly residential areas along the hills. Main Street runs through the West Side, and continues west to serve as Main Street in the villages of Johnson City and Endicott. The East Side lies east of Brandywine along the north bank of the SusqueHanna River. The West Side is best known for Antique Row, a series of antique shops that line the railroad tracks from the East Side to the North Side. The North Side is across the Norfolk Southern rail tracks from downtown, along the Chenanga River. This part of the town is home to several gold-domed churches built by the early 20th century. Broome County has 17.5 miles of levees, many of which are in Binghamon. Major floods have occurred in 1865, 1935, 1936, 2006, and 2011. The highest peak in Binginghamton is Table Rock Ridge, which is at 1,854 feet. The majority of city's population and development lies along the rolling terrain nearest the riverbanks with sparse development in the hills that define the city limits. The Press Building was the tallest building in the city until the completion of the State Office Building in Government Plaza, which remains the tallest.

Demographics

Binghamton was one of the largest 100 cities in the United States between 1890 and 1910. As of 2010, Binghamton's racial makeup was 77.6% White, 11.4% Black or African American, 4.2% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 2.0% from other races, and 4.4%. of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. The largest religious body in Broome County is the Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse. The city is home to many religious denominations, including the Catholic Church and the First Ward of the First Church of Christ, Scientist. The area around the city has an estimated population of 247,138 people as of 2020. The population of the city as of 2010 was 47,376, with 21,150 households, and 9,986 families in the city. The average household size was 2.18, and the average family size was2.94. The median household income was $30,978, with the median family income of $43,436. Binghamon's population has been steadily decreasing since the mid-1950s. The region's population is skewed toward the younger population, resulting in the growth of the relative proportion of the elderly in Broomes County. The MSA is composed of all of Broome. County and neighboring Tioga County and parts of Susquehanna. County, Pennsylvania, a population of 158,054 as of the census of 2010. This count also includes parts of Tioga, Cortland, Delaware, and Tioga Counties.

Economy

The Binghamton MSA had 13% of New York State's computer and electronics manufacturing jobs as of 2010. Education and health care are also becoming significant sectors in the regional economy. Maines Paper & Food Service and Willow Run Foods - two of the nation's largest food distributors who serve restaurants throughout the United States - have their headquarters in the area. The town of Vestal has several shopping centers and big-box stores along a five-mile stretch of the Vestal Parkway. The village of Johnson City is home to the Oakdale Mall, the area's only indoor super regional mall. In the First Ward, Clinton Street isHome to Antique Row, a collection of antique shops. The region has several large shopping areas. While downtown was home to several major department stores and the center of regional shopping, most shopping has moved toward the suburbs. The farm bureau movement started in Binghamon in 1911. The city is located on the New York River, which runs through the town of Broome. It is located in the eastern part of the Finger Lakes region, which is the state's easternmost region and is the most populous region in New York state. It has one of the highest murder rates in the state, with more than 1,000 people killed in the city each year. The area has a high rate of obesity and diabetes, which has led to a decline in the number of jobs in the region. It also has a low homicide rate, with fewer than 10 people killed per 100,000 residents in 2010.

Education

Binghamton City School District is the largest school district in the metropolitan area. Binghamton University is a selective top-ranking public university. The city was home to the now-defunct Ridley-Lowell Business & Technical Institute. The Catholic Schools of Broome County, a private school district affiliated with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse, operate Seton Catholic Central High School and an elementary school in the city of Binghamon. The town of Vestal is the home of the main campus of the University of New York, with about 15,000 students. It is also home to three satellite campuses of SUNY Broome, Empire State College, and Davis College, a Bible college. It has a large research presence, including a New York State Center of Excellence for small-scale systems integration. It also operates the Southern Tier High Technology Incubator and is restoring the New York state Inebriate Asylum on the East Side for future use. In 2014, the city built the Student Village residence hall on campus in 2014 to attract residential students. There has also been a recent push for student housing downtown to help revitalize the business district. It was founded in 1850 by the Ridley- lowell Business and Technical Institute, which is no longer in existence. The school district is classified as high needs, and has had difficulty meeting several educational requirements. It maintains an International Baccalaureate program and has received several academic awards, but has had trouble meeting several requirements.

Arts and culture

Binghamton is known as the Carousel Capital of the World, as it houses six of the remaining antique carousels. Broome County is home to several festivals, which the New York Department of Economic Development recognized in 2001 as the year's official I Love New York festival. The region falls within a distinct set of isoglosses that also contain Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse. People in Binghamton typically refer to athletic shoes as sneakers (as opposed to tennis shoes), and to soft drinks as soda (and not pop). Spiedies are celebrated at the Spiedie Fest and Balloon Rally, which is held at Otsiningo Park each August and attracts over 100,000 people annually. The city's other annual events include the St. Patrick's Day parade in March, July Fest (a festival of jazz music, arts, and crafts held downtown since 1962), the 100-year-old St. Mary of the Assumption Bazaar in August, the LUMA Projection Arts Festival in September, and Blues on the Bridge (a September music festival that takes place on the South Washington Street Bridge), and the Columbus Day Parade and Italian Festival every October, which includes a marching band competition. The area's restaurants serve spiedies, but they have only experienced limited penetration beyond the Southern Tier and Central New York. It is also home to the Phelps Mansion museum, the Cutler Botanic Garden, the Bundy Museum of History and Art, and the interactive, child-oriented Discovery Center.

Sports

Binghamton has a long history with minor league sports, having been home to several teams over the years. The Binghamton Rumble Ponies are the Double-A affiliate of the New York Mets. The B.C. Open was an official PGA Tour event held annually from 1971 to 2005 at Endicott's En-Joie Golf Course. In 2018, the Sports Business Journal ranked the city as the 10th best minor-league sports market in the country. The city is home to two professional football teams, the Broome County Dragons and the Southern Tier Green Machine. It is also the home of two women's football teams: the Binghampton Tiger Cats and the Southern Tier Spitfire. The town is the home to the Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena, which was built in the 1930s and is located on the banks of the Susquehanna River. It was the site of the B-Sens hockey team, which won the Calder Cup in 2003 and 2005. The NHL's New Jersey Devils brought their AHL franchise to the city in 2017, but relocated to New Jersey for the 2018-19 season when the Senators relocated to Canada for the 2017-18 season. It also hosts the Federal Prospects Hockey League, which is part of the National Hockey League's Eastern Seaboard Division. It has also hosted a PGA tour Champions event, the Dick's Sporting Goods Open, which began in 2007 and continues to be played at En-joie golf course.

Parks and recreation

Binghamton is known for its bicycling and walking clubs, facilities, and trails. In 2007, Country Home magazine named Binghamton the ninth-greenest city in the country. The city is home to a number of parks and trails, including the Chenango River Trail and Cheri A. Lindsey Park in the North Side. It is also home to the New York State Museum, which opened in 1903. The Binghamon River Trail is an urban trail starting at Confluence Park, where the rivers intersect, and traveling alongside the Chenanga River, past the Martin Luther King, Jr. Promenade and Noyes Island, up to CheriA Lindsey Park on the city's North Side, and ending at CheriLindsey Park. It was built in the 1950s and is one of the first urban trails in the United States. It runs along the banks of the rivers and along the city’s North Side and South Side, as well as the East Side and the South Side of the city. It also runs alongside the East River and the West River, and ends at Noye Island, where it meets the East and West Rivers. It has a paved bike path that runs along both sides of the river, and a paved trail along the North side. It's also home of the Newburgh River Trail, which runs from the East side to the West Side, along with the North and South Rivers. In the city, there are also several parks that are open to the public, such as the North River Trail.

Government

Binghamton is a municipality with a mayorcouncil form of government. The mayor and councilors are elected to four-year terms and are limited to serving two terms. The Binghamton City Council is a unicameral body of seven Council members whose districts are defined by geographic population boundaries. The city government, originally housed in the old Municipal Building on Collier Street (now the Grand Royale Hotel), is now based at the Binghamon City Hall which occupies the west-wing of Government Plaza on the corner of State and Hawley streets. In 2011, under the authority of N.Y. General Municipal Law 239-O and by City of Binghampton Local Law 113, the City of Bhamton established a Human Rights Commission. The commission's mission is to condemn discrimination in all its forms, to educate the public, and to work to eliminate discrimination against people based on age, race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, disability, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, weight or height, veteran status, or criminal conviction. For confidential support call the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or see www.samaritans.org. For support in the U.S., call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 1-800-273-8255. For help in the UK, call the Salvation Army on 01457 909090 or click here for details.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Binghamton, Broome County, New York = 83. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 101. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 10. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Binghamton = 3.3 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 47,969 individuals with a median age of 37.5 age the population dropped by -5.87% in Binghamton, Broome County, New York population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 4,577.63 residents per square mile of area (1,767.39/km²). There are average 2.14 people per household in the 20,176 households with an average household income of $30,964 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 9.00% of the available work force and has dropped -3.34% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 24.32%. The number of physicians in Binghamton per 100,000 population = 244.7.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Binghamton = 35.6 inches and the annual snowfall = 51.7 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 152. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 152. 83 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 18.4 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 56, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Binghamton, Broome County, New York which are owned by the occupant = 37.45%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 21.7 years with median home cost = $87,020 and home appreciation of 1.09%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $24.31 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $8,396 per student. There are 13.6 students for each teacher in the school, 332 students for each Librarian and 444 students for each Counselor. 9.10% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 11.06% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 10.28% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).