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East Ithaca vs Ithaca

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: size (17.1× in Ithaca) and jobs per worker (7.6× in East Ithaca).

E ×
East Ithaca, NYA regional job hubNew York · 1,918 people
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Ithaca, NYA history townNew York · 32,814 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

East IthacaA regional job hub
Work10,847 jobsbased in East Ithaca, a regional job hub Outdoors22.6% conserved land4.2 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves All about East Ithaca →
IthacaA history town
HistorySettled in 188829 places on the National Register Schools#37 for schools in NYof 484 towns Outdoors#54 most trails in NY10 miles of trails across 24 parks and preserves All about Ithaca →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Size17.1×
Ithaca is the bigger place
Ithaca 32,814East Ithaca 1,918
Jobs per worker7.6×
East Ithaca is more of a job hub
East Ithaca 9.97Ithaca 1.32
Household income2.4×
Households in East Ithaca earn more
East Ithaca $116,410Ithaca $48,784
Growth since 2010+35.3 pts
East Ithaca has grown faster since 2010
East Ithaca +42.3%Ithaca +7%
Street grid3.2×
Ithaca has the more walkable street grid
Ithaca 96.3East Ithaca 29.8
In college+44.2 pts
Ithaca is more of a college town
Ithaca 51.7%East Ithaca 7.5%
★ What stands out · Where they are

East Ithaca and Ithaca share a border

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

East IthacaIthacaEast IthacaIthaca
East Ithaca ↔ Ithaca2.6 miles apart · They share a border
Who commutes between them
151 East Ithaca residents work in Ithaca (13.9% of its workers)
Work & commute in East Ithaca →
Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

East Ithaca$2,450/mo
Typical home $333K (Census) · tax rate 2.56% · or rent about $1,234/mo · Housing →
Ithaca$2,540/mo
Typical home $343K (Census) · tax rate 2.60% · or rent about $1,447/mo · Housing →

The difference: $90 a month, about $1,000 a year, between Ithaca and East Ithaca.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every New York ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety
–East IthacaNot graded C−IthacaSafer than 18% of U.S. towns
Schools
–East IthacaNot graded BIthacaBetter than 62% of districts in the state
Health
–East IthacaNot graded AIthacaHealthier than 90% of U.S. towns
Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
East IthacaIthaca
Snow a year63″63″
January low15°F15°F
July high80°F80°F
Growing season (days)145d145d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)55th80th
Outdoors & history
East IthacaIthaca
Trails4 mi10 mi
Conserved land22.6%13.6%
Settled—1888
National Register places—29
Archive photos—17
Famous people born here—59
Community
East IthacaIthaca
Library hours a week—60 hrs
Colleges in town—1
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

East IthacaIthaca
People
Population 1,918Lowest 32,814Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +42.3%Highest NY: +4.2% +7%Lowest NY: +4.2%
Median age 43.6±15.2Highest 10% above NY 23.3±0.8Lowest 41% below NY
Kids under 18 11.1%±6.2Highest NY: 20.5% 7.1%±1.1Lowest NY: 20.5%
East Ithaca and Ithaca are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 29.5%±6.4Highest NY: 17.9% 10.1%±1.3Lowest NY: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 74.3%Highest NY: 40.2% 67.7%Lowest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 7.5%±5.9Lowest NY: 7% 51.7%±3.3Highest NY: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $116,410±$31kHighest 35% above NY $48,784±$4kLowest 43% below NY
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $332,700±$59kLowest 21% below NY $342,700±$15kHighest 19% below NY
Ithaca and East Ithaca are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,234±$447Lowest 24% below NY $1,447±$69Highest 11% below NY
Ithaca and East Ithaca are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $8,505Lowest 29% above NY $8,897Highest 35% above NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 45.1%±15Lowest NY: 52.1% 65%±7.7Highest NY: 52.1%
Ithaca and East Ithaca are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 7.4%Lowest NY: 14% 30.4%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 59.9%Highest NY: 54.3% 29.6%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year 1978Highest 19 yrs newer than NY 1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 21 minHighest 37% below NY 19 minLowest 43% below NY
Work from home 26.1%±10.2Highest NY: 14.9% 24.7%±4.2Lowest NY: 14.9%
East Ithaca and Ithaca are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 40.2%Highest 17.1%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 2.3 miLowest 2.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 9.97Highest 1.32Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Ithaca (47%)Ithaca (38%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 14% work in IthacaFew work in East Ithaca
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 22.6%Highest 13.6%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 4.2 miLowest 10.0 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.9 miHighest 1.7 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 6Lowest 24Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 29.8Lowest 96.3Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#37 of 484 in NY
School district —ITHACA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town —Ithaca Senior High School
Students per teacherat that high school — 13.8
New York average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

East Ithaca neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to East Ithaca’s Town Square.

Ithaca neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Ithaca’s Town Square.

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Bordering East Ithaca

+ Compare
South Hill6,951 people · $354K homes

Towns like East Ithaca

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Cold Spring1,863 people · $600K homes
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Cooperstown2,220 people · $381K homes
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Red Hook2,275 people · $378K homes
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Liverpool2,695 people · $190K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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