Ithaca, NY

Census place 3638077 · pop 32,814

D54/ 100
😐 Meh
D
in NY
📍 New York ranks #48 of 50 states →
🏆 Obesity22.6% · top 3%
🚽 Own29.6% · bottom 1%
💡 Did you know?

Home of Cornell University and Ithaca College, famed for its waterfalls and the slogan "Ithaca is Gorges."

Source ↗
Taxes
2.60% property · US 0.99%8.54% sales · US 7.00%up to 10.90% income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Homeownership29.6%1

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

29.6% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Property-tax burden2.60%3

U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities

2.60% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Poverty rate30.4%3

U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities

30.4% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Income inequality0.544

U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities

Gini 0.54 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Median household income$48,78410

U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities

$48,784 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Poor mental health19.1%20

U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities

19.1% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Broadband access88.0%25

U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities

88.0% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Rent$1,969/mo36

U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities

$1,969/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Housing cost$342,70039

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$342,700 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Population growth (5yr)+7.3%73

U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities

+7.3% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Unemployment rateCounty-level3.1%75

U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities

3.1% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Commute time19 min83

U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities

19 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level0 days85

U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities

0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Uninsured adults5.7%88

U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities

5.7% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Physical inactivity17.4%89

U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities

17.4% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Air quality (AQI)County-level35 AQI89

U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities

35 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level47/10090

U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities

47/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Adult smoking7.8%93

U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities

7.8% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Bachelor's degree or higher67.7%95

U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities

67.7% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Adult obesity22.6%97

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

22.6% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Not measured for Ithaca: Crime, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.

Frequently asked

Is Ithaca, NY a good place to live?
By the numbers, Ithaca scores 54/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is adult obesity and its weakest is homeownership. New York overall ranks #48 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
Is Ithaca, NY expensive to live in?
Ithaca has a median home value of $342,700 and typical rent around $1,969/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Ithaca, NY?
Its weakest measured area is homeownership (29.6%) — 1/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Ithaca, NY best at?
Its strongest measured area is adult obesity (22.6%) — 97/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Home of Cornell University and Ithaca College, famed for its waterfalls and the slogan "Ithaca is Gorges."

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.