Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Bergen is one of the best-graded places in America: an A, ranked 60th of 745 in New York. It is healthier than 79% of U.S. towns and natural-hazard risk is low. Its lowest mark, a B, is in incomes. History is its standout character grade: an A, better than 94% of U.S. towns, with 3 places on the National Register. 15% of residents are under 18 in Bergen, below both the New York town median (20%) and the median of U.S. towns (22%). A typical home costs about $170K, 2.3 years of the Batavia area’s $73K median household income.
Where Bergen beats most towns.
Census counts: 2,438 in 1820, a low of 1,412 in 1940, 3,120 in 2010. The archive holds 9 old photos and papers going back to 1802 and 4 maps from 1899 on.
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New York), ordered by how far Bergen is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Bergen. Close and well known come first.
32 mi State parkLetchworth State Park
19 mi MuseumGeorge Eastman Museum
18 mi Stadium & arenaBlue Cross Arena
18 mi MuseumThe National Museum of Play
38 mi MountainCumorahLetchworth State Park: Suandsoe, CC BY-SA 3.0 · George Eastman Museum: Dmadeo, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Blue Cross Arena: Matthew D. Wilson (LtPowers), CC BY-SA 3.0 · The National Museum of Play: Misc, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Cumorah: Hillcumorahpageantstage.jpg: la salebete derivative work: Eustress (talk), CC BY-SA 2.0
Who provides power, water and the rest in Bergen, 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.
Ordered by what stands out in Bergen.
Bergen has less food insecurity than most of New York and has commutes shorter than most of New York.
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 94% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Bergen.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Its public schools are run by the Byron-Bergen Central School District. Its two schools are below. The largest public high school is Byron-Bergen Junior/Senior High School, with 444 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Byron-Bergen Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 448 | C+ |
| Byron-Bergen Junior/Senior High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 6–12 | Grades 6–12 | 444 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NY on state tests and graduation
Its widest gap with New York is food insecurity: 10.5% of its 3,221 adults worry about having enough food, against 17.2% statewide.
29% of adults have obesity in Bergen. Bergen beats the New York average on 8 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2. 16% of adults say their health is fair or poor in Bergen.
| Bergen | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 33% | 35% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 17% | 19% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 32% | 33% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 13% | 14% |
| What stands out | Bergen | NY |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 10.5% | 17.2% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 9.6% | 14.5% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10% | 7.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The average commute for its 1,368 working residents takes 21 minutes, against 32.6 across New York. Jobs based here grew from 669 in 2013 to 1,005.
Most working residents leave Bergen for work: only 10% work in town. Since 2013, Bergen has added 336 jobs, to 1,005 in 2023. Bergen’s average trip to work is 21 minutes.
| Bergen | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $75,000 | $82,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
| Bergen | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 7.5% | 5.2% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Hickory Park | — | 11 |
| 2. Hartland Park | — | 8 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Bergen has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. The July high in Bergen is 81°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
5 within 15 miles of the center of Bergen
About 7 of every 100 Bergen residents are enrolled in college, about the same as New York.
Where Bergen’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
3 places in Bergen on the National Register of Historic Places.
3 notable people were born in Bergen.
Town in New York, United States
Bergen is a town in Genesee County, New York, United States. The town is in the northeastern corner of the county. The population was 3,120 at the 2010 census. There is also a village of Bergen in the town.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
5 towns share a border with Bergen.
At #60 in NY, it grades higher overall than all 4 graded towns on its borders; Riga (A) comes closest.
| Town | NY rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bergen | #60 | A | B+ | — | B+ | A− |
| Riga | #101 | A | B | — | B | A |
| Byron | — | — | A− | — | B+ | A− |
| Sweden | #227 | B+ | C+ | — | C+ | A− |
| Le Roy | #115 | A | B | — | B+ | A− |
| Ogden | #113 | A | C | A | B | A− |
Byron has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Bergen, Riga, Byron, Sweden and Le Roy report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Bergen with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Yes, by almost any measure. Bergen grades A overall, better than 94% of U.S. towns and #60 of 745 in New York. It grades A− for health and B+ for schools.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B+.
3 notable people were born here, including Billy Sands and Bucky Freeman.
