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CITY · 2000 CENSUS

Ithaca

New York · 29,287 residents · 5.39 sq mi
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The short version

Ithaca is home to 29,287 people in New York. The median age is 22.0, younger than the US median of 35.2. 58% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 24% nationally. Owners hold 26% of the housing stock. 40.2% of locals live below the federal poverty line. Households here earn about 51% less than in New York as a whole.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Younger
median age 22.0
US median: 35.2
More educated
58% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
More affordable
home values down 23%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
29,287
−1%since 1990
from 29,541 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Median age
22.0
Unchangedsince 1990
from 22.0 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
5.39 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
29K30K31K32K33K19902000201020202024Ithaca
202433K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 52.5%(727)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 92.5%(721)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 142.5%(729)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 1919.6%(5,739)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 2436%(10,551)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3412.6%(3,703)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 447.4%(2,179)
US avg: 16%
45 to 547.1%(2,080)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 643.5%(1,022)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 742.8%(822)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 842.4%(705)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over1.1%(309)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$21,441
−8%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $17,738 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$13,408
+46%since 1990
from $9,213 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
40.2%
+0.9 ptssince 1990
from 39.4% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$96,300
−23%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $95,300 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$574
−12%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $493 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
26.0%
−2.9 ptssince 1990
from 28.9% in 1990
74.0% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

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

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

Bachelor's degree or higher
57.9%
+7.7 ptssince 1990
from 50.2% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
89.5%
+2.8 ptssince 1990
from 86.7% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
31.6%
+3.5 ptssince 1990
from 28.1% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
9.1 min
−38%since 1990
from 14.8 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married68.5%(9,224)
Married27%(3,642)
Widowed1%(132)
Divorced3.5%(475)
Women 15+
Never married62.1%(8,359)
Married24.6%(3,314)
Widowed5.3%(709)
Divorced7.9%(1,068)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
5.1%
−1.3 ptssince 2013
from 6.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
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%
Medicare
11.3%
+4.1 ptssince 2020
from 7.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
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 29,287 residents according to the 2000 Census.

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

The typical household in Ithaca, New York earns about $21,441 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 $96,300, and the typical rent is about $574 a month.

How educated are people in Ithaca, New York?

About 57.9% 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 40.2% of people in Ithaca, New York live below the federal poverty line.

Has Ithaca, New York grown since 1990?

Yes, Ithaca, New York has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 254 residents, a change of about -1 percent over that period.

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

How we source and harmonize this data →