Median Income
$45,468
household / year
Median Home Value
$324,300
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,391
gross / month
Cost of Living
104
national avg = 100

Is Ithaca, NY a Good Place to Live?

Ithaca is a small city of 31,359 in New York, with a median household income of $45,468 and a 5.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 104 (US average = 100), which is 4% above the national average.

Strengths: Ithaca stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A), a well-educated population, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Ithaca is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Ithaca city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 103.5

Ithaca's overall cost of living index is 103.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Ithaca costs roughly 4% more than the average American city.

Metric Ithaca, NY National Avg
Median Home Value $324,300 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,391 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 27.2% 65.9%
Median Household Income $45,468 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Ithaca's violent crime rate is 196.2 per 100,000 residents — 48% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
196.2 /100k
Property Crime
3215.8 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Ithaca is served primarily by ITHACA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT. The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.6:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Ithaca, NY National Avg
School District ITHACA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT —
Elementary Schools 8 —
Middle Schools 2 —
High Schools 2 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 10.6:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 69.4% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 96.2% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Ithaca sees average highs of 31.0°F in January and 79.9°F in July, with 38.3 inches of annual precipitation and 62.9 inches of snow per year.

MetricIthaca, NY
Average High — January31.0°F
Average High — July79.9°F
Annual Precipitation38.3"
Annual Snowfall62.9"

Demographics

MetricIthaca, NYNational Avg
Population31,359—
Median Age22.838.9
Unemployment Rate5.9%3.7%
Avg Commute Time18.4 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)66.5%59.3%
Black or African American6.5%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino5.5%18.9%
Asian15.7%6.3%
Under 187.3%22.2%
65 and over7.8%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Cayuga Heights, NY 2 mi Forest Home, NY 2 mi Northwest Ithaca, NY 2 mi South Hill, NY 2 mi East Ithaca, NY 3 mi

ZIP Codes in Ithaca

Ithaca, NY is covered by 1 ZIP code:

14853

Ithaca vs Other Cities

Ithaca, NY vs Cayuga Heights, NY Ithaca, NY vs Forest Home, NY Ithaca, NY vs Northwest Ithaca, NY Ithaca, NY vs South Hill, NY Ithaca, NY vs East Ithaca, NY

Frequently Asked Questions

Ithaca's cost of living index is 104, where 100 is the national average. That puts Ithaca roughly 4% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $324,300 and median rent is $1,391/month.
Ithaca's violent crime rate is 196.2 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 3215.8 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Ithaca are operated by ITHACA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT. The district has 8 elementary, 2 middle, and 2 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.6:1. 69.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Ithaca, NY has a population of 31,359, a median household income of $45,468, and an unemployment rate of 5.9%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Ithaca averages 31.0°F in January and 79.9°F in July. Annual rainfall is 38.3 inches with about 62.9 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Ithaca, NY is covered by 1 ZIP code: 14853.
The population of Ithaca, New York is 31,359 with a median age of 22.8. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Ithaca: cost of living index 104 (100 = US average), median home $324,300, median household income $45,468, crime index 92 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Ithaca side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.