Compare towns
Ithaca vs Dryden
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%).
Dryden has the oldest population (median age 40.5).
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 | Dryden |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 20,968Highest |
13,604Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.8%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-3.7%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 29.3±2.1Lowest 26% below NY |
40.5±2.6Highest about the NY average |
| Kids under 18 | 13%±1.7Lowest NY: 20.5% |
15.9%±1.9Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Dryden and Ithaca are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.1Highest NY: 17.9% |
18.5%±2.1Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Ithaca and Dryden 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% |
51.7%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 33.2%±2.1Highest NY: 7% |
10.2%±1.8Lowest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $105,978±$18kHighest 23% above NY |
$81,127±$4kLowest 6% below NY |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $368,700±$13kHighest 13% below NY |
$242,600±$15kLowest 43% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,558±$122Highest 4% below NY |
$1,074±$90Lowest 34% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,273Highest 26% above NY |
$6,334Lowest 4% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±9Highest NY: 52.1% |
49.4%±8.8Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Ithaca and Dryden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 9.3%Lowest NY: 14% |
13.6%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
63.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 16 yrs newer than NY |
1979Highest 20 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 49% below NY |
19 minHighest 41% below NY |
| Work from home | 25.2%±4.1Highest NY: 14.9% |
15.3%±2.9Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #182 of 484 in NY | #356 of 484 in NY |
| School district | ITHACA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | DRYDEN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · GEORGE JUNIOR REPUBLIC UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | None in town | DRYDEN HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.7 |
| 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.