Broome County, New York

Not to be confused with Broome, New York.
Broome County, New York

Broome County Courthouse
Map of New York highlighting Broome County
Location in the state of New York
Map of the United States highlighting New York
New York's location in the U.S.
Founded 1806
Named for John Broome
Seat Binghamton
Largest city Binghamton
Area
 • Total 716 sq mi (1,854 km2)
 • Land 706 sq mi (1,829 km2)
 • Water 9.7 sq mi (25 km2), 1.4%
Population
 • (2010) 200,600
 • Density 284/sq mi (110/km²)
Congressional districts 19th, 22nd
Time zone Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Website www.gobroomecounty.com

Broome County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 200,600.[1] Its county seat and largest city is Binghamton. The county was named in honor of John Broome, who was lieutenant governor in 1806 when Broome County was established.

Broome County is part of the Binghamton, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area.

The current county executive is Debra A. Preston. Broome County is also home to Binghamton University, one of four university centers in the SUNY system.

History

When counties were established in the Province of New York in 1683, the present Broome County was part of Albany County. This was an enormous county, including the northern part of New York State as well as all of the present State of Vermont and, in theory, extending westward to the Pacific Ocean. This county was reduced in size on July 3, 1766 by the creation of Cumberland County, and further on March 16, 1770 by the creation of Gloucester County, both containing territory now in Vermont.

On March 12, 1772, what was left of Albany County was split into three parts, one remaining under the name Albany County. One of the other pieces, Tryon County, contained the western portion (and thus, since no western boundary was specified, theoretically still extended west to the Pacific). The eastern boundary of Tryon County was approximately five miles west of the present city of Schenectady, and the county included the western part of the Adirondack Mountains and the area west of the West Branch of the Delaware River. The area then designated as Tryon County now includes 37 counties of New York State. The county was named for William Tryon, colonial governor of New York.

In the years prior to 1776, most of the Loyalists in Tryon County fled to Canada. In 1784, following the peace treaty that ended the American Revolutionary War, the name of Tryon County was changed to Montgomery County in honor of the general, Richard Montgomery, who had captured several places in Canada and died attempting to capture the city of Quebec, replacing the name of the hated British governor.

In 1789, Montgomery County was reduced in size by the splitting off of Ontario County. The actual area split off from Montgomery County was much larger than the present county, also including the present Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Orleans, Steuben, Wyoming, Yates, and part of Schuyler and Wayne Counties.

In 1791, Tioga County split off from Montgomery County, along with Herkimer and Otsego Counties. Tioga County was at this time much larger than the present county and included the present Broome and Chemung Counties and parts of Chenango and Schuyler Counties.

In 1798, Tioga County was reduced in size by the splitting off of Chemung County (which also included part of the present Schuyler County) and by the combination of a portion with a portion of Herkimer County to create Chenango County.

In 1806, the present-day Broome County was split off from Tioga County.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 716 square miles (1,850 km2), of which 706 square miles (1,830 km2) is land and 9.7 square miles (25 km2) (1.4%) is water.[2]

Broome County is located in south-central New York, directly north of the border with Pennsylvania in a section of the state called the Southern Tier. The Chenango River joins the Susquehanna River, which flows through the county.

The western half of the county is hilly but has wide valleys that accommodate Binghamton and its suburbs. In the northern portion Interstate 81 takes advantage of another glacial valley. To the east, however, the terrain becomes much more rugged as the land tilts up to the Catskills.

The highest elevation is a U.S. National Geodetic Survey benchmark known as Slawson atop an unnamed hill in the Town of Sanford. It is approximately 2087 feet[3] (636 m) above sea level. An area due east on the Delaware County line in Oquaga Creek State Park also lies within the same elevation contour line. The lowest point is 864 feet (263 m) above sea level, along the Susquehanna at the Pennsylvania state line.

Adjacent counties

Major highways

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
18108,130—
182014,34376.4%
183017,57922.6%
184022,33827.1%
185030,66037.3%
186035,90617.1%
187044,10322.8%
188049,48312.2%
189062,97327.3%
190069,1499.8%
191078,80914.0%
1920113,61044.2%
1930147,02229.4%
1940165,74912.7%
1950184,69811.4%
1960212,66115.1%
1970221,8154.3%
1980213,648−3.7%
1990212,160−0.7%
2000200,536−5.5%
2010200,6000.0%
Est. 2014197,349[4]−1.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[5]
1790-1960[6] 1900-1990[7]
1990-2000[8] 2010-2013[1]

As of the census[9] of 2000, there were 200,536 people, 80,749 households, and 50,225 families residing in the county. The population density was 284 people per square mile (110/km²). There were 88,817 housing units at an average density of 126 per square mile (49/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 91.33% White, 3.28% Black or African American, 0.19% Native American, 2.79% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.79% from other races, and 1.59% from two or more races. 1.99% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 16.1% were of Irish, 13.3% Italian, 12.3% German, 11.6% English, 6.4% American and 5.7% Polish ancestry according to Census 2000 . 91.4% spoke English, 2.0% Spanish and 1.1% Italian as their first language.

There were 80,749 households out of which 28.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.60% were married couples living together, 10.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.80% were non-families. 31.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.97.

In the county the population was spread out with 23.00% under the age of 18, 11.00% from 18 to 24, 26.80% from 25 to 44, 22.80% from 45 to 64, and 16.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 93.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $35,347, and the median income for a family was $45,422. Males had a median income of $34,426 versus $24,542 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,168. About 8.80% of families and 12.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.90% of those under age 18 and 7.20% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics

Broome County's offices are housed in the Edwin L. Crawford County Office Building of Government Plaza located at 60 Hawley Street in Downtown Binghamton.

Executive

Broome County Executives
Name Party Term
Edwin L. Crawford Republican 1969–1976
Donald L. McManus Democratic 1977–1980
Carl S. Young Republican 1981–1988
Timothy M. Grippen Democratic 1989–1996
Jeffrey P. Kraham Republican 1997–2004
Barbara J. Fiala Democratic 2005–Apr. 15, 2011
Patrick J. Brennan Democratic Apr. 16, 2011–Dec. 31, 2011
Debra A. Preston Republican Jan. 1, 2012–

Legislature

The Broome County Legislature consists of 15 members.[10] All fifteen members of the legislature are elected from individual districts. Currently, there are 12 Republicans and 3 Democrats.

Broome County Legislature
District Legislator Title Party Residence
1 Stephen J. Flagg Republican Colesville
2 Scott D. Baker Republican Windsor
3 Kelly F. Wildoner Republican Binghamton
4 Kim A. Myers Democratic Vestal
5 Daniel J. Reynolds Majority Leader Republican Vestal
6 Greg W. Baldwin Republican Endicott
7 Matthew J. Pasquale Republican Endicott
8 Jason E. Shaw Republican Endwell
9 Ronald J. Keibel Republican Triangle
10 Jerry F. Marinich Chairman Republican Chenango
11 Ron Heebner Republican Johnson City
12 Michael P. Sopchak, Jr. Republican Johnson City
13 Karl E. Bernhardsen Republican Binghamton
14 Jason T. Garnar Minority Leader Democratic Binghamton
15 Mark R. Whalen Democratic Binghamton

Education

The four primary institutes of higher education in Broome County include:

Communities

Map of Broome County, New York showing towns and villages. For map key, click on image.

City

Towns

Villages

Census-designated places

Hamlets

Notable natives

See also

External links

References

  1. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 11, 2013.
  2. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
  3. ↑ http://www.cnyhiking.com/BroomeCounty.htm
  4. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  5. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
  9. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  10. ↑
  11. ↑ Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607-1896. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who. 1963.
 Cortland County Chenango County
Tioga County Delaware County
   Broome County, New York  
Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania Wayne County, Pennsylvania

Coordinates: 42°10′N 75°49′W / 42.16°N 75.82°W / 42.16; -75.82

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