BensonNY
A town of 214.
Is Benson a good place to live?
34% of residents are 65 or older in Benson, above both the New York town median (20%) and the median of U.S. towns (18%). 91% of the land in Benson is conserved, where New York’s towns sit at 5.2% and U.S. towns at 4.3%. The biggest place to walk is Silver Lake Wilderness, 40,987 acres with 27.3 miles of trail. Benson has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
214 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Benson: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Benson, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Benson.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Silver Lake Wilderness | 27.3 mi | 40,987 |
| 2. Shaker Mountain Wild Forest | 5.1 mi | 6,880 |
| 3. Cathead Mountain Primitive Area | — | 172 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Compared with most of New York and the rest of the country, the FEMA risk score in Benson is higher
The FEMA risk score in Benson is 81 of 100.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
In Benson, a typical July afternoon runs cooler than in the typical New York or U.S. town
Benson’s July high is 78°F. Benson has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
How healthy Benson is
Benson beats the New York average on 10 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 15. 41% of Benson adults have high blood pressure.
| Benson | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 34% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 14% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 11% | 12% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 83% | 81% | 79% |
| What stands out | Benson | NY |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 5.8% | 7.9% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 10.7% | 14.5% |
| More adults with COPD | 9.6% | 6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Everything we know about Benson
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Benson; the nearest are
About 1 of every 100 Benson residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across New York.
34 miles of trails in Benson
90.8% of the town is conserved land, across 3 parks and preserves.
About Benson
Town in New York, United States
Benson is a town in Hamilton County, New York, United States. The population was 221 at the 2020 census. The town is on the southern border of Hamilton County and is northwest of Schenectady.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Questions about Benson
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Benson, NY a good place to live?
Benson has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.