Compare towns
Ithaca vs Harrison vs Lansing
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).
Lansing has the most renters (45.4% rent).
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 | Lansing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,968 |
29,961Highest |
11,789Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.8%Highest NY: +4.2% |
+2.7%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+4.8% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 29.3±2.1Lowest 26% below NY |
37.2±2.1Highest 7% below NY |
34.7±3.7 13% below NY |
| Harrison and Lansing 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% |
20.4%±3.2 NY: 20.5% |
| Harrison and Lansing 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% |
14.5%±2.5 NY: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.3%Highest NY: 40.2% |
60.4%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
65.1% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 33.2%±2.1Highest NY: 7% |
15.5%±1.5 NY: 7% |
7.4%±3.1Lowest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $105,978±$18k 23% above NY |
$164,250±$17kHighest 91% above NY |
$86,342±$15kLowest about the NY average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $368,700±$13k 13% below NY |
$1,010,700±$108kHighest 138% above NY |
$346,400±$44kLowest 18% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,558±$122Lowest 4% below NY |
$2,616±$155Highest 61% above NY |
$1,631±$81 about the NY average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,273 26% above NY |
$10,000+Highest at least 52% above NY |
$7,328Lowest 11% above NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±9 NY: 52.1% |
53.7%±8.9Lowest NY: 52.1% |
61.9%±19.8Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Lansing and Ithaca are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.3% NY: 14% |
4.1%Lowest NY: 14% |
13.4%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62%Highest NY: 54.3% |
60.5% NY: 54.3% |
54.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 16 yrs newer than NY |
1962Lowest 3 yrs newer than NY |
1982Highest 23 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 49% below NY |
29 minHighest 10% below NY |
20 min 40% below NY |
| Work from home | 25.2%±4.1Highest NY: 14.9% |
22.7%±2.8 NY: 14.9% |
16.4%±4.5Lowest 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 | — | #144 of 484 in NY |
| School district | ITHACA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | NEW YORK STATE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES (OCFS) · LANSING CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | None in town | — | LANSING HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.7 |
| 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.