Compare towns
Lansing vs Ithaca
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lansing has the most kids (20.4% under 18).
Ithaca has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.8%).
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 | Lansing | Ithaca |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 11,789Lowest |
20,968Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+11.8%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 34.7±3.7Highest 13% below NY |
29.3±2.1Lowest 26% 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 | 20.4%±3.2Highest NY: 20.5% |
13%±1.7Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Age 65+ | 14.5%±2.5Lowest NY: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.1Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 65.1%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
75.3%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.4%±3.1Lowest NY: 7% |
33.2%±2.1Highest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $86,342±$15kLowest about the NY average |
$105,978±$18kHighest 23% above NY |
| Ithaca and Lansing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,400±$44kLowest 18% below NY |
$368,700±$13kHighest 13% 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 | $1,631±$81Highest about the NY average |
$1,558±$122Lowest 4% below NY |
| Lansing and Ithaca are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,328Lowest 11% above NY |
$8,273Highest 26% above NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±19.8Highest NY: 52.1% |
59%±9Lowest 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 | 13.4%Highest NY: 14% |
9.3%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
62%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 23 yrs newer than NY |
1975Lowest 16 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minHighest 40% below NY |
17 minLowest 49% below NY |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.5Lowest NY: 14.9% |
25.2%±4.1Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #144 of 484 in NY | #182 of 484 in NY |
| School district | NEW YORK STATE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES (OCFS) · LANSING CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | ITHACA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | LANSING HIGH SCHOOL | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.7 |
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| 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.