

Southern Tier
Our manufacturing legacy is fueling cutting-edge innovation
The Southern Tier is building on its strategic location and re-energizing a regional legacy of advanced and industrial manufacturing, in part through industry-university partnerships, to bring new ideas to life: from cutting-edge transportation equipment and powerful batteries that make cell phones and rail cars more efficient to advancing train technologies at light speed.
Supported by a highly educated work force, the Southern Tier is committing and building for the future through vocational job training programs to prepare the workforce of tomorrow. From Binghamton to Ithaca, the region’s plan for strategic growth includes urban redevelopment and revitalization of cities; updating historic buildings as places for top talent to live and work and a focus on transforming the food and agriculture industry. Take a look at all that’s happening in the Southern Tier.
Key Industries in the Southern Tier


Distribution

Financial Services and Insurance

Agribusiness
It is through transformative projects like The Raymond Corporation’s Energy Solutions Manufacturing Center of Excellence that we are ensuring that the Southern Tier region, and in fact all of New York State, are at the cutting edge of manufacturing and innovation.Governor Kathy Hochul

Dozens of higher educational institutions throughout the region, including top-ranked Cornell University, Binghamton University and Ithaca College, offer research teaching, training, and networking resources, and also act as major economic drivers. Binghamton has now been designated America’s Tech Hub for battery innovation, commercializing research and development and boosting U.S. manufacturing in critical tech industries.

Innovation is a Southern Tier strength. Battery NY, a first-of-its-kind R&D center supporting development of advanced, sustainable battery technologies, was announced 2022, when Binghamton University won the federal Economic Development Administration’s Build Back Better Regional Challenge (BBBRC). The new Johnson City home to Battery NY offers proximity to BU, with additional space for future expansion. The center also will be a hub for creation of a battery innovation and manufacturing ecosystem throughout Upstate New York. Regional small business growth and entrepreneurial startup innovation is further supported through IncubatorWorks in Elmira, REV: Ithaca Startup Works and others providing programming, networking, mentorship and co-working spaces.

The region’s major anchor businesses include Corning, Raymond Corp., Lockheed Martin, and BAE. The region also is a rail manufacturing hub—Alstom Transportation Inc. is expanding in Hornell, in Steuben County and TTA Systems is a leader in rail transit vehicle vehicles, systems and components.
Copyright ALSTOM SA 2023 | Advanced & Creative Design
The region’s industries are supported by access offered by the Binghamton (BGM), Elmira-Corning (ELM) and Ithaca-Tompkins (ITH) regional airports, and a vast freight railway infrastructure operated by Norfolk Southern, New York Susquehanna & Western and Canadian Pacific. The Binghamton airport is among upstate airports receiving funding from a state competition for upgrades and expansion. And there’s easy north-south access provided by I-81, which connects the Southern Tier with Canada and the mid-Atlantic and Southern states.
Population 2025
Labor Force Status 2025
Age Distribution 2025
Education Attainment 2025
Data source: ZoomProspector (Applied Geographic Solutions)
Doing Business in the Southern Tier

Tax-Based Incentives

Operational Support

Growth Support

Innovation Development Support
Explore opportunities in the Southern Tier region
Visit the Southern Tier Regional Economic Development Council site to see strategic plans, current projects and the latest economic data, plus access funding applications and more.
Regional Office
The Southern Tier regional office works hand-in-hand with new and existing businesses to help identify economic development programs to support business growth and expansion—for building new facilities, relocating a business, expanding operations and workforce and entering new and global markets.
44 Hawley Street
Room 1508 (15th floor)
Binghamton, NY 13901
United States