What percentage of people rent in Ithaca, NY?
70.4% (±3.0 points) of the occupied homes in Ithaca, NY are rented (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
That is 9,971 renting households against 4,196 that own their home.
In Ithaca, the share of households that rent went from 74.2% in 2015–2019 to 70.4% in 2020–2024 (−3.8 percentage points), not a measurable change.
Figures last updated on .
- Households that rent
- 70.4% (±3.0 points)
- Renting households
- 9,971 (±720)
- Median renter income
- $38,394 (±$5,555)
Who rents and who owns in Ithaca
| Ithaca | Tompkins County | New York | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Renter-occupied share | 70.4% (±3.0 points) | 45.9% (±1.5 points) | 45.7% (±0.2 points) | 34.8% |
| Renting households | 9,971 (±720) | 19,841 (±806) | 3,525,661 (±12,362) | 45,017,354 |
| Owning households | 4,196 (±412) | 23,422 (±635) | 4,196,985 (±19,607) | 84,210,142 |
| Average renter household size | 1.5 (±0.1) | 1.7 (±0.1) | 2.3 (±0.0) | 2.3 |
| Average owner household size | 2.1 (±0.1) | 2.3 (±0.1) | 2.7 (±0.0) | 2.6 |
| Median renter household income | $38,394 (±$5,555) | $44,517 (±$2,151) | $57,803 (±$395) | $52,966 |
| Median owner household income | $124,677 (±$21,005) | $113,365 (±$5,936) | $114,563 (±$568) | $100,009 |
In Ithaca, the renter share is higher than in Tompkins County (45.9%).
It is also higher than in New York (45.7%).
It is higher than the national figure (34.8%).
In Tompkins County, Ithaca ranks 1 of 10 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest renter share.
Statewide, it ranks 3 of 1,004.
Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.
How renting in Ithaca has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households that rent | 74.2% (±2.5 points) | 70.4% (±3.0 points) | −3.8 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
| Median gross rent | $1,203 (±$43) | $1,447 (±$69) | +20.3% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median household income | $34,424 (±$3,189) | $48,784 (±$3,693) | +41.7% | Up after inflation |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Households that rent in places near Ithaca
| Place | Distance | Households that rent | Compared with this place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ithaca | — | 70.4% (±3.0 points) | — |
| Village of Cayuga Heights | 1.8 mi | 38.9% (±11.5 points) | Lower |
| Forest Home | 1.8 mi | 64.8% (±13.5 points) | Not measurably different |
| Northwest Ithaca | 1.9 mi | 49.8% (±9.9 points) | Lower |
| South Hill | 2.4 mi | 33.7% (±12.2 points) | Lower |
| East Ithaca | 2.6 mi | 40.1% (±13.1 points) | Lower |
| Northeast Ithaca | 2.6 mi | 43.5% (±8.8 points) | Lower |
| Town of Ithaca | 2.8 mi | 38.0% (±4.7 points) | Lower |
| Village of Lansing | 3.3 mi | 76.6% (±8.3 points) | Not measurably different |
Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Village of Cayuga Heights, NY (38.9%), Northwest Ithaca, NY (49.8%), South Hill, NY (33.7%).
Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.
Households that rent across Tompkins County, place by place
| Rank | Place | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ithaca | 70.4% (±3.0 points) |
| 2 | Town of Lansing | 45.4% (±5.4 points) |
| 3 | Town of Ithaca | 38.0% (±4.7 points) |
| 4 | Town of Dryden | 36.8% (±4.4 points) |
| 5 | Town of Caroline | 34.4% (±8.6 points) |
| 6 | Town of Ulysses | 32.5% (±8.5 points) |
| 7 | Town of Groton | 25.0% (±6.6 points) |
Showing 7 of 10 places in Tompkins County, ranked from highest to lowest.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
What you can do on Seayora in Ithaca
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Questions about Ithaca
How many renters are there in Ithaca?
Ithaca has an estimated 9,971 (±720) renting households, 70.4% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Is renting growing in Ithaca?
In Ithaca, the share of households that rent went from 74.2% in 2015–2019 to 70.4% in 2020–2024 (−3.8 percentage points), not a measurable change.
How big are renting households in Ithaca?
A renting household in Ithaca has 1.5 people on average, against 2.1 in an owned home.
How much do renters earn in Ithaca?
The median renting household in Ithaca, NY has an income of $38,394 (±$5,555) a year, against $124,677 for households that own their home.
Sources
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Ithaca city, Tompkins County, New York
- Median Household Income by Tenure (B25119), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Ithaca city, Tompkins County, New York
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Ithaca city, Tompkins County, New York
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Ithaca city, Tompkins County, New York
- Median Household Income (B19013), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Ithaca city, Tompkins County, New York
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) and detailed tables (acs/acs5) for Ithaca city, Tompkins County, New York (county subdivision:38077, in state:36 county:109).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, B25064_001E, B25064_001M, B19013_001E, B19013_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0047E, DP04_0047M, DP04_0046E, DP04_0046M, DP04_0049E, DP04_0049M, DP04_0048E, DP04_0048M, B25119_003E, B25119_003M, B25119_002E, B25119_002M
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .
Related
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- Population growth in Ithaca
- How long people stay in Ithaca
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- Local landlord and tenant rules in Ithaca
- New York landlord and tenant rules
- Housing across Tompkins County
- New York places ranked by share of renters
- Housing data for every place in New York