What do you think about Elmira, Binghamton, Ithaca, and Jamestown? (New York: low income, rentals)

[tviz25]

SO, what does everyone think of these 4 small cities-
-Elmira
-Binghamton
-Ithaca
-Jamestown

[tviz25]

I'm glad everyone decided to respond to this thread

[CBaillo]

i think its because everyone has answered questions about these areas over and over again...most of what you're looking for is on the front page. Just do a search for those cities, youll find something. I'm not in the area yet, were moving to Newfield July/August (its 8 miles outside of ithaca), so by no means am i an expert on the area but the short of it (from my own research and from what people have said on these boards):

Elmira: housing is dirt cheap, but there are 2 prisons in the area. crime is a little bit higher. Tends to be hit or miss, need to be careful the area you choose to live in. economy is in a depression, no jobs locally

ithaca: housing is a little bit more expensive than the surrounding area. college town, so its a little livelier with more to do. the hub for all the communities surrounding it...tends to be the major employer outside of corning. its more of an oversized town than a city, but has most of the things you need in a city

Binghamton: seems to be in a economic depression as well. Very limited downtown area. Housing is cheap. There is ahuge thread called "binghamton photo tour" or something like that on the front page that has tons of info on binghamton, if you just click on it.

Jamestown: dont know anything about this area, as i have never researched on it. but im sure theres info here on it.

I know you were expecting an immediate answer but realize that a lot of people here post while at work, so on the weekends when people arent in front of their computers the posting slows down considerably.

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by tviz25

SO, what does everyone think of these 4 small cities-
-Elmira
-Binghamton
-Ithaca
-Jamestown

Binghamton:

I continually hear nothing but bad things about this city, but my recent first visit to the "Carousel City" and my accomanying photo tour proved that there are bright spots here. I think Binghamton is only 5-10 years away from a total downtown renaissance, and it's something everyone in Broome County should be excited about. The historic buildings in the city were lovely, and I found the people to be friendly. I liked the fact that Binghamton had a downtown visitors' center and seemed to be bicycle-friendly. Previous assumptions of the city being "poverty-ravaged" were proven to be false when I noticed the city's roadways and driveways were replete with newer vehicles, indicating people truly aren't suffering economically.


Elmira:

Much like its sister city of Binghamton in the Southern Tier, I've also heard nothing but awful things about Elmira from others. Then again, my negative impressions of Binghamton were assuaged when I finally visited the city and walked for miles all around it, so perhaps the same will occur when I visit Elmira. I hear that it has a high crime rate, a sagging economy, and is dominated by the penal system. I'm hoping I'll find a "silver lining" to Elmira, much like I have with Binghamton, Scranton, and Wilkes-Barre.

Ithaca:

On the contrary, I've heard nothing but awesome things about Ithaca, which seems to be a well-educated liberal haven in Central Upstate NY. I've heard that the town is so progressive that it even has its own currency! Through my experience with online personal sites, it also appears as if Ithaca has a thriving GLBT community, which I appreciate very much---people don't feel as if they have to "hide" in the closet, as they might in the Southern Tier or NEPA. I'll be entering the city with nothing but positive impressions, and Ithaca will have to try very dilligently to live up to the lofty pedestal it's been placed upon in my mind when I come for a visit.

Jamestown:

I know nothing about this town, as it is too far out of my sphere of influence.

[aka_mouse]

Ive never actually been to any of them, but like the other guy said.. Elmira I haven't heard much good said about... and Jamestown I've heard is kind of a dump. Probably worse than Elmira. In fact I've really never anything good about Jamestown at all other than , you can buy mansions there for next to nothing cause its all not-so-great neighborhoods now.

Binghampton I haven't heard anything bad about other than maybe there isnt much going on there...

I mean out of those 4 if you are looking for a place to live or something.. Ithaca, IMO is probably the only one worth considering at all.

[Jason_Els]

Why is it whenever I see the name, 'Elmira,' I think of that awful Elvira song? I'm sure it does the city no favors.

My heart's on fire-a, Elmira. Boom chicka mao mao.

[iloveram]

Binghamton New York is the most boring and mind-numbing place I've ever lived in my life. I moved here 3 years ago to attend school at Binghamton University. It seems the university and the community college (Broome Community College) are the only things the town has going for it. Not much cultural diversity here, but it seems to be growing. Very Hard to find jobs here other than hospital/direct care positions. The weather is bad; it rains here all the time. The art scene here is a joke, if you're into that. This town is at least 10 years behind most others in New York State in every way. The people that live here are very conservative: the church bell rings every hour--I thought I was in a twighlight zone episode the first time I witnessed this. I would not recommend living here unless you plan on going to one of the above colleges. The cost of living is very cheap in Binghamton (I pay about $400 a month for a 2 bedroom apt.) but unfortunately, that's how many people get stuck here. Many of the homes have that very old, Victorian, run down look to them. Most people who live here hate living here--if you don't believe me, visit and ask random people on the street.

[vicarian]

Binghamton

I've visited Binghamton twice. Once was a quick trip during the day, in which it gave me a nice impression, but the streets were eerily quiet, and I was accosted by bums in its downtown area. It looks like it has potential, but then, I've also heard very few good things about Binghamton. I remember hearing that when IBM left, it took all the "life" from Binghamton with it.

The second time I visited was at night, when I was travelling on a bus, and had to make a transfer at Binghamton. The bus station was a worn-down travesty and the employees just gave the impression that it was a terrible place (here's a note: the Ithaca profile page has a picture of the Binghamton bus station tagged as Ithaca's bus station. Can that be changed?). I remember trying to take photos on a hill across the street from the bus station, but a bum reeking of alcohol starting yelling/pleading for any change I had in my wallet. I spent the rest of that evening in the bus station. It's hard to keep an open-mind about Binghamton after these incidents, but I still hope for the best in that city, and would like to see an economic renaissance in its future, as well as regaining a sense of pride.

Elmira:

I've only passed through Elmira, but I think it takes the title for "scapegoat" when people talk about problems upstate. A bad economy and rather run-down area tend to encourage the prevailing pessimism for this city.

Ithaca:

I think most people are aware of my opinions about Ithaca. It's a large college town, which is probably the only thing that has allowed it to weather the economic hardships of the past couple of decades. However, most visitors like Ithaca, and I moved to Ithaca, and at least coming from where I had grown up near Syracuse, it was heartwarming to see the Ithacans take great pride in their community- something that other cities in the region lack. Ithacans tends to be hated by certain conservative groups though, because it leans significantly to the political left. But you can't please everyone.

Jamestown:

I've heard little about Jamestown, since it tends to be geographically isolated from major highways and other cities. I've heard that the city is trying to redevelop itself, and I've heard mixed opinions about this city- not hated like Elmira, but not as liked as Ithaca.

[Dee62]

Jamestown NY is rated number one in the nation for its affordable housing stock. Jamestowns' home prices are the most reasonable in the nation. However I don't see any bargans for rentals in the city although rents are affordable also.

The downside of affordable housing is the element that is attracted to it. Many low income people are moving to Jamestown looking for its affordable housing. A growing number of people in the town are making a living by living off the government. Affordable housing people bring in crime, Drugs and racial problems.

But despite the cities problems I still like the area. It was an old steel town somehow connected to the Greater Buffalo economy. The jobs available today are low paying and usually old vestage sheet metal jobs. The small towns outside of the city are stable family oriented with lower crime rates and are not very muti-culturally diverse. The people are blue coller country type people. Inside the city there is a small Literary and grafic arts community with theaters-stage plays and the like and there is a Small alternative lifestyle community .

There are alot of historical victorian type homes with widow walks and Greek revivals in certain parts of the village. Most of them need a great amount of fixing up. And some people do attempt to fix up, but due to the large amount of money required to rebuild as compared to what you would get for the house when it is re-sold makes such ventures futile.

Shopping is available in strip malls on the outskirts and edges of the city. And the city does receive river flooding ever year. Homes in Parts of the downtown can be inundated up to the roofs. But you would never know it when visiting during the dry season. Quite an interesting place???

[tviz25]

wow a lot of replies in a short amount of time. Thanks for your opinions.