Compare towns
Dryden vs Ithaca vs Erwin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ithaca has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.8%).
Erwin has the most kids (20.7% under 18).
Ithaca is a college town. 33.2% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Dryden | Ithaca | Erwin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,604 |
20,968Highest |
7,965Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+11.8%Highest NY: +4.2% |
+0.7% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 40.5±2.6 about the NY average |
29.3±2.1Lowest 26% below NY |
43.8±2Highest 10% above NY |
| Erwin and Dryden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.9%±1.9 NY: 20.5% |
13%±1.7Lowest NY: 20.5% |
20.7%±3.7Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Erwin and Dryden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±2.1 NY: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.1Highest NY: 17.9% |
17.4%±2.8Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Ithaca and Dryden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.7% NY: 40.2% |
75.3%Highest NY: 40.2% |
49.2%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.2%±1.8 NY: 7% |
33.2%±2.1Highest NY: 7% |
4.3%±1.9Lowest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,127±$4kLowest 6% below NY |
$105,978±$18kHighest 23% above NY |
$88,333±$16k about the NY average |
| Ithaca and Erwin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,600±$15k 43% below NY |
$368,700±$13kHighest 13% below NY |
$223,700±$26kLowest 47% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$90Lowest 34% below NY |
$1,558±$122Highest 4% below NY |
$1,271±$136 22% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,334 4% below NY |
$8,273Highest 26% above NY |
$5,829Lowest 11% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.4%±8.8Lowest NY: 52.1% |
59%±9Highest NY: 52.1% |
56.8%±14 NY: 52.1% |
| Ithaca and Erwin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.6%Highest NY: 14% |
9.3%Lowest NY: 14% |
9.3%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63.2% NY: 54.3% |
62%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
67.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 20 yrs newer than NY |
1975Lowest 16 yrs newer than NY |
1977 18 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minHighest 41% below NY |
17 min 49% below NY |
15 minLowest 54% below NY |
| Work from home | 15.3%±2.9 NY: 14.9% |
25.2%±4.1Highest NY: 14.9% |
9.5%±4.3Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #356 of 484 in NY | #182 of 484 in NY | #431 of 484 in NY |
| School district | DRYDEN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · GEORGE JUNIOR REPUBLIC UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT | ITHACA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | CORNING CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | DRYDEN HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NY average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.