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METRO AREA

Ithaca Metro

Ithaca, NY · 1 counties · 104,047 residents (2025 est.) · 474.644 sq mi
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Notable rankings
#3Most educatedof 92558.8%#29Most work-from-homeof 92520.0%
The short version

Ithaca has lower-than-average household income, with a median household income of $74,024. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. 59% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, well above the national rate of 36%. Median home value has roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $290,900. At a median age of 32.3, residents skew younger than the country as a whole. It sits in the top 10% of US metro areas for household income.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 32.3
US median: 38.9
More educated
59% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 66%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
104,537
+8%since 2000
from 96,501 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
220 / sq mi
+8%since 2000
from 203 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
Median age
32.3
+13%since 2000
from 28.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:104,047 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
93K96K100K103K107K1990201020202024Ithaca
2024105K
1990201020202024
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$74,024
+9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $37,272 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$41,808
+113%since 2000
from $19,659 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
49.6%
+19.8 ptssince 2009
from 29.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
16.4%
−1.3 ptssince 2000
from 17.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.483
+3%since 2010
from 0.468 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information8.2%
US avg: 10.8%
Retail trade5.9%
US avg: 9.9%
Other services3.2%
US avg: 6.7%
Wholesale trade2.6%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance2.5%
US avg: 5.9%
Public administration2%
US avg: 4.8%
Professional, scientific, technical2%
US avg: 5.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.6%
US avg: 1.6%
Arts, entertainment, food1.6%
US avg: 1.9%
Construction1.4%
US avg: 1.2%
Transportation & warehousing0.7%
US avg: 2.2%
Education & health services0.6%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0.2%
US avg: 0.4%
BARS: THIS PLACE · TICKS: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$290,900
+66%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $96,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,411
+27%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $611 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
54.1%
+0.4 ptssince 2000
from 53.7% in 2000
45.9% rent
Vacancy rate
9.5%
+2.4 ptssince 2009
from 7.1% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
16.5%
−6.9 ptssince 2009
from 23.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
53.5%
−2.0 ptssince 2009
from 55.5% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.9
+52%since 2000
from 2.6 in 2000
1990 – 2024
Gentrification Score
68
RELATED:See current rent listings in Ithaca on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic83.8%(80,916)
Black3.4%(3,307)
Hispanic / Latino3.1%(2,968)
Asian7.2%(6,909)
Other0%
Diversity Score31.6%(30,514)
Segregation Score0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic73.7%(77,012)
Black3.6%(3,804)
Hispanic / Latino6.6%(6,886)
Asian10.1%(10,602)
Other6%(6,233)
Diversity Score54.7%(57,205)
Segregation Score33.8%(35,360)
Diversity Score
55
+73%since 2000
from 32 in 2000
1990 – 2024
Segregation Score
34
+2%since 2020
from 33 in 2020
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
58.8%
+11.3 ptssince 2000
from 47.5% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
95.6%
+4.2 ptssince 2000
from 91.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
34.8%
+8.2 ptssince 2000
from 26.7% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
20.1 min
+77%since 2000
from 11.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
51.7%
−5.2 ptssince 2009
from 56.9% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
9.3%
−2.6 ptssince 2009
from 11.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
4.6%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 5.9% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
20.0%
+13.7 ptssince 2009
from 6.3% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
11.4%
−5.0 ptssince 2009
from 16.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
1.8%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
14.1%
+2.1 ptssince 2009
from 12.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
5.5%
−0.1 ptssince 2011
from 5.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
58.4%
−3.1 ptssince 2011
from 61.5% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
24.5%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 23.7% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
58.1%
−14.1 ptssince 2009
from 72.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.7%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 50.0% in 2009
Female
51.3%
+1.3 ptssince 2009
from 50.0% in 2009
Foreign born
12.9%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 12.1% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
3.6%
−45.8 ptssince 2009
from 49.4% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
12.0%
+2.2 ptssince 2012
from 9.8% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
4.4%
−89.0 ptssince 2013
from 93.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
90.6%
+7.7 ptssince 2017
from 82.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
82.6%
−3.9 ptssince 2016
from 86.5% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
4.0%
+1.7 ptssince 2016
from 2.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
In this metro

Principal cities

IthacaCENTRAL33,632
What's inside

1 component county

Tompkins CountyCENTRAL104,047
Drill deeper

Metros similar to Ithaca

Fond du Lac
Pop 104,669
Kankakee
Pop 105,525
Brainerd
Pop 100,562
Kalispell
Pop 115,429
Places similar to Ithaca
Head to head

Compare Ithaca side by side

ITHACA VS
Fond du Lac
Income$74,275same
Home value$222,800−23%
Population104,669+1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ITHACA VS
Kankakee
Income$71,281−4%
Home value$192,600−34%
Population105,525+1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ITHACA VS
Brainerd
Income$71,422−4%
Home value$300,990+3%
Population100,562−3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ITHACA VS
Kalispell
Income$73,925same
Home value$535,500+84%
Population115,429+11%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Ithaca, NY?

Ithaca, NY has about 104,537 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Ithaca, NY?

The typical household in Ithaca, NY earns about $74,024 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Ithaca, NY expensive?

In Ithaca, NY, the median home is worth about $290,900, and the typical rent is about $1,411 a month.

How educated are people in Ithaca, NY?

About 58.8% of adults age 25 and over in Ithaca, NY hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Ithaca, NY?

About 16.4% of people in Ithaca, NY live below the federal poverty line.

Has Ithaca, NY grown since 1990?

Yes, Ithaca, NY has grown since 1990. The population has added about 10,440 residents, a change of about 11 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →