Compare towns
Ithaca vs Brighton vs Guilderland
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 affordable homes ($282k median).
Guilderland has the highest household income ($112k).
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 | Guilderland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,968Lowest |
36,834 |
37,260Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.8%Highest NY: +4.2% |
+1.4%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+4.4% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 29.3±2.1Lowest 26% below NY |
40.1±1.2Highest about the NY average |
39.4±1.1 about the NY average |
| Brighton and Guilderland 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% |
20%±1.6Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Guilderland and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.1 NY: 17.9% |
20.3%±1.9Highest NY: 17.9% |
19%±1.5Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Brighton and Ithaca 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% |
57.5%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 33.2%±2.1Highest NY: 7% |
9.3%±1.4Lowest NY: 7% |
10.8%±1.2 NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $105,978±$18k 23% above NY |
$85,467±$10kLowest about the NY average |
$112,273±$7kHighest 31% above NY |
| Guilderland and Ithaca 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±$11kLowest 33% below NY |
$357,400±$11k 16% below NY |
| Ithaca and Guilderland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,558±$122 4% below NY |
$1,350±$38Lowest 17% below NY |
$1,564±$74Highest 4% below NY |
| Guilderland and Ithaca are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,273Highest 26% above NY |
$7,428 13% above NY |
$6,314Lowest 4% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±9Highest NY: 52.1% |
49.6%±6.2 NY: 52.1% |
39.6%±6.3Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Ithaca and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.3%Highest NY: 14% |
8.9% NY: 14% |
5.9%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62% NY: 54.3% |
56.4%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
65.3%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 16 yrs newer than NY |
1960Lowest 1 yr newer than NY |
1978Highest 19 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 49% below NY |
17 min 48% below NY |
21 minHighest 34% below NY |
| Work from home | 25.2%±4.1Highest NY: 14.9% |
21.6%±2.2 NY: 14.9% |
16.4%±2.3Lowest 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 | #76 of 484 in NY |
| School district | ITHACA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | BRIGHTON CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · PENFIELD CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | GUILDERLAND CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | None in town | BRIGHTON HIGH SCHOOL | GUILDERLAND HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Highest |
11.0Lowest |
| 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.