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CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Ithaca

New York · 29,541 residents · 5.39 sq mi
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The short version

Ithaca is home to 29,541 people in New York. 50% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 20% nationally. Owners hold 29% of the housing stock. The median age is 22.0, younger than the US median of 33.0. 39.4% of locals live below the federal poverty line. Households here earn about 46% less than in New York as a whole.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $30,130
Younger
median age 22.0
US median: 33.0
More educated
50% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
Less affordable
home values up 30%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

29,541
+1%vs 2000
vs 29,287 in 2000
1990 – 2025
22.0
Unchangedvs 2000
vs 22.0 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
5.39 sq mi
Population, 19902024
29K30K31K32K33K19902000201020202024Ithaca
202433K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 52.9%(854)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 93.1%(902)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 142.4%(713)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 1918.2%(5,389)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 2434.7%(10,260)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3414.6%(4,306)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 448.7%(2,580)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 544%(1,195)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 643.7%(1,089)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 743.7%(1,088)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 843%(898)
US avg: 4%
85 and over0.9%(267)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$17,738
+9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $21,441 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
$9,213
−31%vs 2000
vs $13,408 in 2000
US average: $14,340
39.4%
−0.9 ptsvs 2000
vs 40.2% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

$95,300
+30%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $96,300 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
$493
+13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $574 in 2000
US average: $450
28.9%
+2.9 ptsvs 2000
vs 26.0% in 2000
71.1% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic71.3%(20,893)
Black6.3%(1,854)
Hispanic / Latino5.3%(1,555)
Asian13.6%(3,981)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic82%(24,235)
Black6.5%(1,916)
Hispanic / Latino3.3%(978)
Asian10%(2,955)
Other1.5%(435)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Puerto Rican2.1%(683)
Mexican0.8%(269)
Guatemalan0.8%(260)
Dominican0.8%(248)
Ecuadorian0.7%(222)
Chilean0.3%(97)
Spaniard0.3%(94)
Cuban0.2%(81)
Argentine0.2%(62)
Venezuelan0.2%(60)
+ 6 more hispanic origin groups with data
Peruvian0.2%(54)
Colombian0.1%(39)
Costa Rican0.1%(33)
Bolivian0%(11)
Asian origin
Chinese5.5%(1,809)
Asian Indian4.6%(1,504)
Korean0.6%(199)
Bangladeshi0.5%(160)
Burmese0.5%(149)
Pakistani0.3%(89)
Japanese0.2%(67)
Cambodian0.1%(45)
Vietnamese0.1%(39)
Nepalese0.1%(31)
Filipino0.1%(25)
Indonesian0.1%(19)
+ 3 more asian origin groups with data
Taiwanese0.1%(17)
Thai0%(15)
Laotian0%(1)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
English9.1%(3,001)
Irish9.1%(2,976)
German8.5%(2,785)
Italian7.2%(2,375)
Polish2.8%(931)
Russian2.6%(848)
Scottish2.5%(824)
American2.1%(676)
Dutch1.7%(547)
French1.5%(491)
Ukrainian1.5%(483)
Hungarian1.2%(405)
+ 42 more ancestry groups with data
Swedish1.2%(393)
Arab1.1%(350)
Welsh1%(330)
Croatian1%(315)
Greek0.9%(290)
Canadian0.8%(250)
British0.6%(194)
Norwegian0.6%(183)
Turkish0.6%(182)
Brazilian0.5%(166)
Czech0.4%(139)
Austrian0.4%(125)
Swiss0.4%(117)
Lithuanian0.4%(115)
Scotch-Irish0.3%(113)
Finnish0.3%(98)
Romanian0.3%(89)
Bulgarian0.2%(80)
Portuguese0.2%(70)
Lebanese0.2%(63)
Kenyan0.2%(62)
West Indian0.2%(62)
Belgian0.2%(61)
Latvian0.2%(51)
Nigerian0.2%(51)
Slovak0.1%(47)
Guyanese0.1%(45)
Iranian0.1%(43)
Palestinian0.1%(41)
Israeli0.1%(40)
Egyptian0.1%(36)
Macedonian0.1%(34)
Jamaican0.1%(33)
Ethiopian0.1%(29)
Cape Verdean0.1%(22)
Slovene0.1%(21)
Danish0.1%(17)
Somali0%(9)
Haitian0%(5)
Section 05

Education

50.2%
−7.7 ptsvs 2000
vs 57.9% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
86.7%
−2.8 ptsvs 2000
vs 89.5% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
28.1%
−3.5 ptsvs 2000
vs 31.6% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

14.8 min
+62%vs 2000
vs 9.1 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married73.2%(11,529)
Married22.8%(3,590)
Widowed0.5%(73)
Divorced3.6%(560)
Women 15+
Never married66.4%(10,048)
Married24.3%(3,672)
Widowed3.9%(589)
Divorced5.4%(822)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

5.1%
−1.3 ptssince 2013
from 6.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
60.0%
−2.7 ptssince 2020
from 62.7% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
23.1%
−5.5 ptssince 2020
from 28.6% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
11.3%
+4.1 ptssince 2020
from 7.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
16.4%
+4.5 ptssince 2020
from 11.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
0.7%
+0.3 ptssince 2020
from 0.4% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
78.7%
−7.7 ptssince 2020
from 86.4% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
25.3%
+7.6 ptssince 2020
from 17.7% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)11.6%(65)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)13.2%(74)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era48.9%(275)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War4.3%(24)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II2.1%(12)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 562 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Ithaca, New York?

Ithaca, New York has about 29,541 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Ithaca, New York?

The typical household in Ithaca, New York earns about $17,738 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Ithaca, New York expensive?

In Ithaca, New York, the median home is worth about $95,300, and the typical rent is about $493 a month.

How educated are people in Ithaca, New York?

About 50.2% of adults age 25 and over in Ithaca, New York hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Ithaca, New York?

About 39.4% of people in Ithaca, New York live below the federal poverty line.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →