Compare towns
Ithaca 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%).
Lansing has the most kids (20.4% 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 | Lansing |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 20,968Highest |
11,789Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.8%Highest NY: +4.2% |
+4.8%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 29.3±2.1Lowest 26% below NY |
34.7±3.7Highest 13% below NY |
| Lansing and Ithaca 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% |
20.4%±3.2Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.1Highest NY: 17.9% |
14.5%±2.5Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.3%Highest NY: 40.2% |
65.1%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 33.2%±2.1Highest NY: 7% |
7.4%±3.1Lowest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $105,978±$18kHighest 23% above NY |
$86,342±$15kLowest about the NY average |
| Ithaca and Lansing 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 |
$346,400±$44kLowest 18% below NY |
| Ithaca and Lansing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,558±$122Lowest 4% below NY |
$1,631±$81Highest about the NY average |
| Lansing 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 |
$7,328Lowest 11% above NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±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%Lowest NY: 14% |
13.4%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62%Highest NY: 54.3% |
54.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 16 yrs newer than NY |
1982Highest 23 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 49% below NY |
20 minHighest 40% below NY |
| Work from home | 25.2%±4.1Highest NY: 14.9% |
16.4%±4.5Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| 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 |
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.