Binghamton, New York
Binghamton (/ˈbɪŋəmtən/ BING-əm-tən) is a city in the U.S. state of New York, and serves as the county seat of Broome County.[4] Surrounded by rolling hills, 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.[5] Binghamton is the principal city and cultural center of the Binghamton metropolitan area (also known as Greater Binghamton, or historically the Triple Cities, including Endicott and Johnson City), home to a quarter million people.[6] The city's population, according to the 2020 census, is 47,969.[7]
This article is about the city in the State of New York. For the adjacent town, see Binghamton (town), New York. For other uses, see Binghamton (disambiguation).
Binghamton, New York
United States
1800
1834
1867
11.13 sq mi (28.82 km2)
10.48 sq mi (27.14 km2)
0.65 sq mi (1.68 km2) 5.83%
866 ft (264 m)
47,969
4,577.63/sq mi (1,767.39/km2)
158,084
247,138
Binghamtonian
UTC−4 (EDT)
36-007-06607
From the days of the railroad, Binghamton was a transportation crossroads and a manufacturing center, and has been known at different times for the production of cigars, shoes, and computers.[8] IBM was founded nearby, and the flight simulator was invented in the city, leading to a notable concentration of electronics- and defense-oriented firms. This sustained economic prosperity earned Binghamton the moniker of the Valley of Opportunity.[9] However, 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.[10]
Today, while there is a continued concentration of high-tech firms, Binghamton is emerging as a healthcare- and education-focused city, with Binghamton University acting as much of the driving force behind this revitalization.[11]
Sports[edit]
Professional and semi-pro teams[edit]
Binghamton has a long history with minor league sports, having been home to several teams over the years. The Eastern League, one of the older Double-A baseball leagues in the United States prior to the 2021 Minor League Baseball reorganization, was founded at the Arlington Hotel in downtown Binghamton in 1923.[123] Today, the city hosts two professional minor league teams, the Binghamton Rumble Ponies (a baseball team affiliated with the New York Mets) and the Binghamton Black Bears (an ice hockey team in the Federal Prospects Hockey League). In 2018, the Sports Business Journal ranked the city as the 10th best minor-league sports market in the country.[124]
Education[edit]
Primary and secondary education[edit]
The public Binghamton City School District is the largest school district in the metropolitan area, with about 5,000 students enrolled as of 2021.[128] The district consists of Binghamton High School, two middle schools, and seven elementary schools.[129] While the district maintains an International Baccalaureate program and has received several academic awards,[130] it is classified as high needs, and has had difficulty meeting several educational requirements.[131] 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 Binghamton.[132]
Binghamton has two sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International:[164]
Binghamton also has a local sister city project: