Compare towns
Binghamton vs Sheldon vs Utica
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Binghamton has the most people working from home (9.3%).
Sheldon has the most homeowners (81.6%).
Utica has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.9%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Binghamton | Sheldon | Utica |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 47,151 |
2,216Lowest |
64,217Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.3% NY: +4.2% |
-1.7%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+4.9%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 35.9±1.6 10% below NY |
48.9±7.6Highest 23% above NY |
35.2±1Lowest 12% below NY |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.3 NY: 20.5% |
14.9%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
25.4%±1.3Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Age 65+ | 18%±1.3 NY: 17.9% |
25%±3.2Highest NY: 17.9% |
15.2%±1Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.7%Highest NY: 40.2% |
13.7%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
22.4% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.3%±2Highest NY: 7% |
3.3%±2.8Lowest NY: 7% |
7.4%±0.8 NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $45,578±$3kLowest 47% below NY |
$71,214±$5kHighest 17% below NY |
$52,484±$3k 39% below NY |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $124,800±$7kLowest 71% below NY |
$175,900±$14kHighest 58% below NY |
$151,300±$6k 64% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $870±$38 46% below NY |
$818±$84Lowest 50% below NY |
$951±$24Highest 41% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,622Highest 45% below NY |
$3,037Lowest 54% below NY |
$3,246 51% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±3.9 NY: 52.1% |
50.9%±21.3Lowest NY: 52.1% |
52.6%±5Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Utica and Binghamton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 32.6%Highest NY: 14% |
11.8%Lowest NY: 14% |
27.5% NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 44%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
81.6%Highest NY: 54.3% |
49.7% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945 14 yrs older than NY |
1963Highest 4 yrs newer than NY |
1940Lowest 19 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 42% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
20 min 40% below NY |
| Work from home | 9.3%±2Highest NY: 14.9% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
7.5%±1.2 NY: 14.9% |
| Binghamton and Utica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #426 of 484 in NY | — | #383 of 484 in NY |
| School district | BINGHAMTON CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | NEW YORK STATE OFFICE MENTAL HEALTH (OMH) · UTICA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | BINGHAMTON HIGH SCHOOL | — | THOMAS R PROCTOR HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
— | 16.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NY average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.