Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Geneseo's standout: it is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 98% of U.S. towns. Overall it grades A−, better than 82% of U.S. towns. CDC estimates put its residents' health ahead of 86% of the country and natural-hazard risk is low. History is its standout character grade: an A, better than 95% of U.S. towns. Geneseo is a college campus (most residents are students), so it isn’t ranked among New York’s towns. 37% of residents live below the poverty line in Geneseo, against 9.5% in New York’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Geneseo is home to SUNY College at Geneseo. Among 758 New York towns, just 7 have a lower share of children under 18 than Geneseo.
Where Geneseo beats most towns.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New York), ordered by how far Geneseo is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 1,598 in 1820, 10,483 in 2010. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1841 and 4 maps from 1904 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Geneseo, 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 Geneseo.
Geneseo is shaped by its college students, draws workers from Geneseo and beyond and is safe by national standards but not by New York’s.
4.7 miles of trail in 4 parks and preserves. Geneseo’s trail density is 1.7 miles per square mile. The biggest place to walk is Island Preserve, 44 acres with 1.4 miles of trail.
| Geneseo | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 1.7 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 8.6% | 5.2% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Island Preserve | 1.4 mi | 44 |
| 2. Highland Park | 0.8 mi | 12 |
| 3. Village Park | — | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
3,548 jobs are based in Geneseo, 1.7 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. The average commute takes 19.3 minutes, against 32.6 across New York.
Most working residents leave Geneseo for work: only 11% work in town. The median household income in Geneseo is $47,000. Since 2013, Geneseo has added 275 jobs, to 3,548 in 2023.
| Geneseo | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $47,000 | $82,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 19 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 11% | 10% | 8% |
| Work from home | 10% | 12% | 11% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 95% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Its widest gap with New York is diabetes: 5.3% of its 6,634 adults have diabetes, against 11.5% statewide.
20% of adults have high blood pressure in Geneseo. Among 755 New York towns, just 4 have a lower share of adults who have diabetes than Geneseo. 26% of adults have obesity in Geneseo.
| Geneseo | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 17% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 34% | 35% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 32% | 33% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 5.3% | 11% | 12% |
| What stands out | Geneseo | NY |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 5.3% | 11.5% |
| Fewer adults who have had a stroke | 1.8% | 3.4% |
| More adults in frequent mental distress | 21.2% | 15% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Geneseo has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 82°, January nights drop to 18° and about 52 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
At 15.5 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports more crime than 54% of New York’s graded towns. Reported crimes fell from 151 to 62 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
74.3% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, against 52.1% across New York.
43% of Geneseo households own their home.
| Geneseo | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 43% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $971 a month | $1,103 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Geneseo. Close and well known come first.
14 mi State parkLetchworth State Park31 mi Theme parkSix Flags Darien Lake1.5M visitors a year
33 mi MountainCumorah
27 mi MuseumGeorge Eastman Museum
27 mi Stadium & arenaBlue Cross Arena
27 mi MuseumThe National Museum of PlayLetchworth State Park: Suandsoe, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Cumorah: Hillcumorahpageantstage.jpg: la salebete derivative work: Eustress (talk), CC BY-SA 2.0 · 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
2 within 15 miles of the center of Geneseo
College town 58 of every 100 Geneseo residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across New York.
Where Geneseo’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
16 notable people were born in Geneseo.
Town in New York, United States
Geneseo ( jen-i-SEE-oh) is a town in Livingston County in the Finger Lakes region of New York, United States. It is at the south end of the five-county Rochester Metropolitan Area. The population of the town was 10,483 at the 2010 census. The English name "Geneseo" is an anglicization of the Seneca name for the earlier Seneca town there, Jo’néhsiyoh, meaning "Good sand there." The village of Geneseo lies within the western portion of the town. The village and town are known today mainly as the home of the State University of New York at Geneseo.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
2 towns share a border with Geneseo.
Geneseo and York report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Geneseo with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
By most measures, yes. Geneseo grades A− overall, better than 82% of U.S. towns. Geneseo is a college campus (most residents are students), so it isn’t ranked among New York’s towns. It grades A for health, B for safety and B for schools.
The typical home is worth about $226,000, 57% below the New York typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.
16 notable people were born here, including Albert Francis Blakeslee and Winifred Greenwood.
