Compare towns
Enfield vs Hector vs Ithaca
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Enfield has the most kids (26.3% under 18).
Hector has the oldest population (median age 51.1).
Ithaca has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.8%).
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 | Enfield | Hector | Ithaca |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,310Lowest |
4,850 |
20,968Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.3%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-0.9% NY: +4.2% |
+11.8%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 42.3±9.4 6% above NY |
51.1±4Highest 28% above NY |
29.3±2.1Lowest 26% below NY |
| Hector and Enfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.3%±6.8Highest NY: 20.5% |
18%±3.8 NY: 20.5% |
13%±1.7Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Enfield and Hector are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±4.9 NY: 17.9% |
25%±5Highest NY: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.1Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Hector and Enfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.9% NY: 40.2% |
36.9%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
75.3%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.3 NY: 7% |
3.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 7% |
33.2%±2.1Highest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,750±$27k 10% above NY |
$79,904±$19kLowest 7% below NY |
$105,978±$18kHighest 23% above NY |
| Ithaca and Enfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,000±$26k 47% below NY |
$218,700±$32kLowest 48% below NY |
$368,700±$13kHighest 13% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,301±$198 20% below NY |
$1,083±$525Lowest 33% below NY |
$1,558±$122Highest 4% below NY |
| Ithaca and Enfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,723 28% below NY |
$4,072Lowest 38% below NY |
$8,273Highest 26% above NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54%±24Lowest NY: 52.1% |
81.7%±21.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
59%±9 NY: 52.1% |
| Hector and Ithaca are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.3% NY: 14% |
15.6%Highest NY: 14% |
9.3%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.2% NY: 54.3% |
91.4%Highest NY: 54.3% |
62%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 27 yrs newer than NY |
1979 20 yrs newer than NY |
1975Lowest 16 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 5% below NY |
27 min 18% below NY |
17 minLowest 49% below NY |
| Work from home | 15.2%±6.9 NY: 14.9% |
13.6%±4.8Lowest NY: 14.9% |
25.2%±4.1Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Ithaca and Enfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #483 of 484 in NY | — | #182 of 484 in NY |
| School district | ITHACA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | ITHACA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.