Compare towns
Ithaca vs Harrison 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%).
Harrison has the most expensive homes ($1011k median).
Guilderland has the oldest population (median age 39.4).
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 | Harrison | Guilderland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,968Lowest |
29,961 |
37,260Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.8%Highest NY: +4.2% |
+2.7%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+4.4% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 29.3±2.1Lowest 26% below NY |
37.2±2.1 7% below NY |
39.4±1.1Highest about the NY average |
| Guilderland and Harrison 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% |
23.2%±2.4Highest NY: 20.5% |
20%±1.6 NY: 20.5% |
| Harrison and Guilderland 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% |
13.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 17.9% |
19%±1.5 NY: 17.9% |
| Ithaca and Guilderland 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% |
60.4% NY: 40.2% |
57.5%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 33.2%±2.1Highest NY: 7% |
15.5%±1.5 NY: 7% |
10.8%±1.2Lowest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $105,978±$18kLowest 23% above NY |
$164,250±$17kHighest 91% above NY |
$112,273±$7k 31% above NY |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $368,700±$13k 13% below NY |
$1,010,700±$108kHighest 138% above NY |
$357,400±$11kLowest 16% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,558±$122Lowest 4% below NY |
$2,616±$155Highest 61% above NY |
$1,564±$74 4% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,273 26% above NY |
$10,000+Highest at least 52% above NY |
$6,314Lowest 4% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±9Highest NY: 52.1% |
53.7%±8.9 NY: 52.1% |
39.6%±6.3Lowest 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 | 9.3%Highest NY: 14% |
4.1%Lowest NY: 14% |
5.9% NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62% NY: 54.3% |
60.5%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
65.3%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 16 yrs newer than NY |
1962Lowest 3 yrs newer than NY |
1978Highest 19 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 49% below NY |
29 minHighest 10% below NY |
21 min 34% below NY |
| Work from home | 25.2%±4.1Highest NY: 14.9% |
22.7%±2.8 NY: 14.9% |
16.4%±2.3Lowest 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 | — | #76 of 484 in NY |
| School district | ITHACA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | GUILDERLAND CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | None in town | — | GUILDERLAND HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.0 |
| 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.