Compare towns
Ithaca vs Brighton vs Enfield
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%).
Brighton has the most renters (43.6% rent).
Enfield has the most kids (26.3% 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 | Ithaca | Brighton | Enfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,968 |
36,834Highest |
3,310Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.8%Highest NY: +4.2% |
+1.4% NY: +4.2% |
-4.3%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 29.3±2.1Lowest 26% below NY |
40.1±1.2 about the NY average |
42.3±9.4Highest 6% above NY |
| Enfield and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13%±1.7Lowest NY: 20.5% |
18.9%±1.7 NY: 20.5% |
26.3%±6.8Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Enfield and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.1Lowest NY: 17.9% |
20.3%±1.9 NY: 17.9% |
21.9%±4.9Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Enfield and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.3%Highest NY: 40.2% |
68.6% NY: 40.2% |
42.9%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 33.2%±2.1Highest NY: 7% |
9.3%±1.4 NY: 7% |
4.3%±2.3Lowest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $105,978±$18kHighest 23% above NY |
$85,467±$10kLowest about the NY average |
$94,750±$27k 10% 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 | $368,700±$13kHighest 13% below NY |
$282,100±$11k 33% below NY |
$224,000±$26kLowest 47% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,558±$122Highest 4% below NY |
$1,350±$38 17% below NY |
$1,301±$198Lowest 20% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,273Highest 26% above NY |
$7,428 13% above NY |
$4,723Lowest 28% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±9Highest NY: 52.1% |
49.6%±6.2Lowest NY: 52.1% |
54%±24 NY: 52.1% |
| Ithaca and Enfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.3% NY: 14% |
8.9%Lowest NY: 14% |
14.3%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62% NY: 54.3% |
56.4%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
79.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 16 yrs newer than NY |
1960Lowest 1 yr newer than NY |
1986Highest 27 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 49% below NY |
17 min 48% below NY |
31 minHighest 5% below NY |
| Work from home | 25.2%±4.1Highest NY: 14.9% |
21.6%±2.2 NY: 14.9% |
15.2%±6.9Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Ithaca and Brighton 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 | #22 of 484 in NY | #483 of 484 in NY |
| School district | ITHACA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | BRIGHTON CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · PENFIELD CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | ITHACA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | None in town | BRIGHTON HIGH SCHOOL | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 3 photos → |
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.