Ithaca, New York Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Ithaca, NY Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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A
Health Above average
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F
Income Well below average
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A+
Education Top grade
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Ithaca | New York Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,530 | 19,748,855 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 3381.5 | 362.0 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 2.25% | 0.05% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 28.6 | 38.7 | 37.3 |
| Households | 10,601 | 7,694,043 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Ithaca grew by 20.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 20,530 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Ithaca is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 57.3% of residents. That is 36.8 points above New York as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 11,761 57.3% +36.8 pts
- Millennials 29–44 3,451 16.8% -5.4 pts
- Gen X 45–60 2,172 10.6% -10.2 pts
- Boomers 61–79 1,546 7.5% -9.8 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below New York, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 47.8% of the people living in Ithaca and men 52.2%.
- Women 47.8% New York 51.3%
- Men 52.2% New York 48.7%
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Economy
Ithaca has a the economy index of F, which means it scores poorly in the economy.
| Metric | Ithaca | New York Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $48,300 | $86,556 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 5.95% | 4.51% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% | 6.4% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Ithaca is about 44% lower than in New York.
Housing
| Metric | Ithaca | New York Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $34,335 | $471,885 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,440 | $1,621 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 28.3% | 54.3% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Ithaca is about 2.0 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,440 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Ithaca spend about 32 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 132 hours, about 5.5 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Ithaca | New York Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 15.8 | 28.7 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 31.6 | 57.4 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 132 | 239 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,087 | $7,414 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 27.5% | 15.0% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 7,667 | 9,257 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,143 | 1,586 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Ithaca is 16 minutes, shorter than the 29 minutes in New York.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Ithaca has a education index of A+, which means it is exceptionally educated.
| Metric | Ithaca | New York Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 51.8% | 36.5% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 1.67 | 2.49 | 2.53 |
Health
Ithaca has a health index of A, which means it is very healthy.
| Metric | Ithaca | New York Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 77.2 | 80.3 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 9.2% | 13.2% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 13.3% | 17.4% | 19.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Ithaca, New York.
What is the population of Ithaca, New York?
About 20,530 people live in Ithaca, New York, in 10,601 households of 1.7 people on average. The median age is 28.6, so residents are younger than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 9 years.
Is Ithaca, New York mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Ithaca, New York has 3,382 people per square mile, a density typical of a city. That is about 39 times the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Ithaca, New York?
The median home costs 0.7 times the median household income ($34,335 against $48,300), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $1,440 a month takes about 36% of the median household's income, above the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How educated are people in Ithaca, New York?
51.8% of adults in Ithaca, New York hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 5 in 10), well above the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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