Ithaca, NY Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Ithaca, NY Summary

Cost of living in Ithaca research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Ithaca is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in New York, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Ithaca is 105, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Ithaca is 1.1x higher than the national average.

  • Ithaca ranks as the #100 cheapest in New York out of 340.

  • Ithaca ranks as the #3,676 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Ithaca is $282,000.

  • The median income in Ithaca is $40,973.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
105
Ithaca's Overall Cost Of Living
1.1x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Ithaca, NY?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Ithaca has an overall cost of living index of 105, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to New York, Ithaca has a cost of living index that's 0.8x lower than New York's index of 126.

The standard of living in Ithaca ranks as #100 most affordable out of the 340 places we measured in New York. By definition, that implies Ithaca ranks as the #240 most expensive place in the Empire State.

For more reading on life in Ithaca, check out:

100 out of 340
In New York
3,676 out of 6,412
In America

Ithaca Cost Of Living Vs. New York

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Ithaca. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Ithaca is 104.

  • The Groceries index in Ithaca is 103.

  • The Health index in Ithaca is 99.

  • The Housing index in Ithaca is 117.

  • The Transportation index in Ithaca is 96.

  • The Utilities index in Ithaca is 102.

Living Expense Ithaca New York National Average
Overall 105 126 100
Services 104 110 100
Groceries 103 104 100
Health 99 105 100
Housing 117 175 100
Transportation 96 107 100
Utilities 102 102 100
For more reading on cost of living around New York, check out:
Ithaca Cost of Living Vs. NY

Ithaca, NY Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in New York, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Ithaca is $282,000.

  • The Median Rent in Ithaca is $1,248.

  • The Median Income in Ithaca is $40,973.

  • The Home Value To Income in Ithaca is 6.9x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Ithaca is 0.37x.

Statistic Ithaca New York United States
Median Home Value $282,000 $340,600 $244,900
Median Rent $1,248 $1,390 $1,163
Median Income $40,973 $75,157 $69,021
Home Value To Income 6.9x 4.5x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.37x 0.22x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Ithaca, NY
$282,000
Median Home Value
$1,248
Median Rent
$40,973
Median Income

Ithaca, NY Costs By Category

Detailed Ithaca Services Costs Vs. New York

Item Ithaca New York
Shampoo $0.94 $1.06
Movie $11.78 $10.68
Bowling $14.88 $14.67
Haircut $17.74 $18.62
Beauty Salon $35.79 $39.05

Detailed Ithaca Groceries Costs Vs. New York

Item Ithaca New York
Ground Beef $4.21 $4.22
Fried Chicken $2.08 $1.39
Milk $1.92 $2.05
Potatoes $3.89 $3.29
Pizza $11.07 $10.62
Beer $9.85 $9.38
Toothpaste $1.64 $2.34

Detailed Ithaca Health Costs Vs. New York

Item Ithaca New York
Optometrist $111.19 $108.57
Doctor $101.1 $116.17
Dentist $100.77 $99.13

Detailed Ithaca Transportation Costs Vs. New York

Item Ithaca New York
Gasoline $2.69 $2.22
Tire Balancing $42.25 $50.07

Detailed Ithaca Utilities Costs Vs. New York

Item Ithaca New York
All Electricity $166.7 $167.67
Phone $185.38 $175.64

Ithaca SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
6/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
3
Diversity
9
Safety
4
Amenities
9.5
Education
9.5
Commute
9

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Ithaca

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Ithaca. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Endwell, NY has a cost of living index of 95, 0.9x Ithaca.

  • Fairmount, NY has a cost of living index of 93, 0.9x Ithaca.

  • Baldwinsville, NY has a cost of living index of 93, 0.9x Ithaca.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Ithaca
Endwell, NY 11,795 95 0.9x
Fairmount, NY 10,292 93 0.9x
Baldwinsville, NY 7,739 93 0.9x
South Hill, NY 7,045 106 1.0x
Seneca Falls, NY 6,700 89 0.8x
Solvay, NY 6,661 90 0.9x
Big Flats, NY 5,929 95 0.9x
Sayre, PA 5,484 94 0.9x
Penn Yan, NY 5,268 93 0.9x

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