Your life in Broome County, New York

What stands out

What stands out about Broome County: the property tax rate is among the highest in America (2.66%), the uninsured rate is in the bottom 5% of American counties (5.3%), and winter sunshine is in the bottom 8% of American counties (-1.2 on the USDA scale). Within New York it ranks 8th of 62 counties for the property tax rate.

Where you are

You live in Broome County, New York. 198,365 people live here with you. The population shrank 0.6% last year, and more Americans moved out than in (net -1,189).

New York's top income-tax rate is 10.9%, and New York City residents add a city income tax of up to 3.876% on top. The state estate tax has a cliff: estates just over the exemption can owe tax on the whole amount. Social Security is not taxed and up to $20,000 of pension income is excluded. Upstate home prices and taxes look nothing like the downstate market.

Money

The typical household here brings in $58,317 a year, lower than 57% of American counties. Employers pay an average wage of $61,392. Unemployment runs 3.8%, higher than 63% of American counties. 7% of workers work from home; for the rest the average commute is 18 minutes each way.

New York takes 5.1% of that median income in state income tax, about $2,984 a year.

Home

The median home costs $197K, cheaper than 64% of American counties, about 1.8 years of the median household's income. A two-bedroom rents for around $932 a month. Property tax is 2.66% of home value, roughly $3,698 a year on that median home, higher than almost every county in America. 65% of households own rather than rent.

Safety and health

Violent crime here is 3.7 per 1,000 residents, lower than 62% of American counties. Drug overdoses killed 35 people per 100,000 in 2024, one of the harder-hit counties in the country.

A child born here can expect to live 77.2 years, longer than 66% of American counties. There are 699 active physicians in the county, about 35.2 per 10,000 people. Medicare rates the local hospitals 2.5 of 5 stars. 5.3% of people under 65 have no health insurance.

School

91% of adults finished high school.

Neighbors and politics

In 2024 your neighbors voted Democratic by 7 points. 63% of eligible voters turned out. Under New York law you need local approval to carry a concealed handgun, abortion is protected by state law, and marijuana is legal for adults.

Weather and risk

The year averages 47°F, highs near 57 and lows near 37, colder than 86% of American counties. About 42 inches of rain and snow fall a year. FEMA puts natural-hazard risk at 83 out of 100, riskier than 83% of American counties; the county has had 30 federal disaster declarations since 1953.

Getting around, going out

Home internet averages 265 Mbps down, faster than 81% of American counties. There are 3 airports in the county, counting general aviation. For a night or a weekend out: 0.8 full-service restaurants per 1,000 people, 2 breweries, 7 museums.

Where these numbers come from

• BLS QCEW 2024
• CDC 2024
• CMS 2024
• Census 2023
• Census ACS
• Census ACS 2022
• Census Population Estimates 2023
• Census SAHIE 2024
• County Health Rankings 2024
• Derived from ACS 2022 home value / household income
• FAA Airport Database
• FEMA Disaster Declarations 1953–2026
• FEMA National Risk Index 2023 (0–100, all hazards)
• HRSA Area Health Resources File 2023
• IMLS
• NOAA Climate Normals
• National Park Service
• Ookla Speedtest Intelligence
• Open Brewery DB
• OpenElections 2024
• SEDA via County Health Rankings 2024 (3.0 = at grade level; not a Z-score)
• Tax Foundation 2023
• USDA Food Environment Atlas
• Zillow ZHVI 2024
• New York tax and law data: state revenue department, Tax Foundation, Giffords, Guttmacher (2026)

Percentiles compare this county with every other county that reports the same figure. Missing figures are left out rather than guessed. Share this page: the address is permanent.