Compare towns
Harrison 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
Harrison has the most expensive homes ($1011k median).
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 | Harrison | Ithaca |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 29,961Highest |
20,968Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.7%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+11.8%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 37.2±2.1Highest 7% below NY |
29.3±2.1Lowest 26% below NY |
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±2.4Highest NY: 20.5% |
13%±1.7Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Age 65+ | 13.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.1Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.4%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
75.3%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.5%±1.5Lowest NY: 7% |
33.2%±2.1Highest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $164,250±$17kHighest 91% above NY |
$105,978±$18kLowest 23% above NY |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,010,700±$108kHighest 138% above NY |
$368,700±$13kLowest 13% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,616±$155Highest 61% above NY |
$1,558±$122Lowest 4% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 52% above NY |
$8,273Lowest 26% above NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.7%±8.9Lowest NY: 52.1% |
59%±9Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Ithaca and Harrison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 4.1%Lowest NY: 14% |
9.3%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 60.5%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
62%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 3 yrs newer than NY |
1975Highest 16 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 10% below NY |
17 minLowest 49% below NY |
| Work from home | 22.7%±2.8Lowest NY: 14.9% |
25.2%±4.1Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Ithaca and Harrison 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 | — | #182 of 484 in NY |
| School district | — | ITHACA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.