Metro Life Score

Binghamton, NY

Above-median composite Life Score — grade B, 65th percentile of the national corpus.

53.0
Life Score / 100
B
Grade (curved)
#137
of 387 metros
65%
composite percentile
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Data updated August 2026

The verdict

Binghamton is above-median composite Life Score — #137 of 387 (53.0/100, grade B, 65th percentile). Carried by rent at 80/100; held back most by schools at 2/100.

65th
composite percentile
#137
of 387 peers
55th
cost dimension percentile
76th
wages dimension percentile

Life Score shape · MID · BALANCED · signature wages

Binghamton: pay power is the signature

Binghamton stamps MID · BALANCED with wages at the 76th percentile of the metro corpus (HIGH) — ahead of its cost mark (MID, 55th) and composite #137. Rent (80/100) amplifies the lead; Schools (2/100) is the residual gap. According to PlainCompare's federal Life Score corpus ranking, Binghamton, NY ranks #137 of 387 metros by composite Life Score (highest = #1) and #174 of 387 by cost-of-living dimension score (highest = #1). Methodology.

BEA RPP 92.9 (rent-RPP 69.7). BLS median salary $70,400, 89,220 jobs (Home Health and Personal Care Aides, Registered Nurses, Retail Salespersons). HUD 2BR FMR $1,103/mo (studio $783).

FBI UCR (NY): 380 violent, 1661 property/100K. NCES: 11.8:1 ratio, 7.1% charter. DOL infant childcare $13,869/yr. EPA: 122 Superfund sites (NY).

Where Binghamton sits among all US metros

Composite Life Score vs the national field

53 65th percentile higher than 65% of 387 US metros

25–30: 1 US metros (0%). Below this entry. 30–35: 7 US metros (2%). Below this entry. 35–40: 34 US metros (9%). Below this entry. 40–45: 66 US metros (17%). Below this entry. 45–50: 91 US metros (24%). Below this entry. 50–55: 77 US metros (20%). This entry sits in this band. 55–60: 60 US metros (16%). Above this entry. 60–65: 44 US metros (11%). Above this entry. 65–70: 6 US metros (2%). Above this entry. 70–75: 1 US metros (0%). Above this entry. This metro 25 75 every US metro, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US metros. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source PlainCompare composite of BEA, BLS, HUD, FBI, NCES, DOL, EPA data · August 2026

Dimension detail

How Binghamton scores, dimension by dimension

Score Breakdown

Cost of Living Wages Rent Safety Schools Childcare Environment

Dimension Scores

Cost of Living 55/100 (20%)
Wages 77/100 (20%)
Rent 80/100 (15%)
Safety 41/100 (15%)
Schools 2/100 (10%)
Childcare 21/100 (10%)
Environment 61/100 (10%)

Key Data Points

92.9
Cost Index (RPP)
$70,400
Avg Median Salary
$1,103
2BR Fair Market Rent
380
Violent Crime/100K (NY)
11.8:1
Student-Teacher Ratio
$13,869
Infant Childcare/yr (NY)
122
Superfund Sites (NY)
89,220
Total Employment

Geography used: crime, schools, childcare, and environment cards above are NY state-level when metro-specific feeds are unavailable, see the scope key at the top of this page.

Compare Binghamton With...

Ranking Context

Binghamton outranks 65% of U.S. metros.

Rank Metro Score Grade
#134 St. Louis, MO-IL 53.1 B
#135 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN 53.2 B
#136 El Paso, TX 53.3 B
#137 Binghamton, NY 53.0 B
#138 Brunswick-St. Simons, GA 53.0 B
#139 Homosassa Springs, FL 53.0 B
#140 Eau Claire, WI 52.9 B

NY Metro Scores

Read with Binghamton

Nearest composite peers and cost poles for Binghamton (MID · BALANCED · MID/HIGH), replacing the fixed Explore/Guides strip.

Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Binghamton Life Score 53.0/100 · signature wages · retrieved and formatted by PlainCompare