Ithaca, NY

Living costs in Ithaca land close to the national average, with a Cost Index of 102 (where 100 = the US baseline). Housing is the largest variable: the median home value here is $330,100, and typical monthly rents run around $1,441. Groceries and utilities are slightly below what you would find in most US cities.

Start with housing. Typical monthly rent is $1,441, while local median household income is $48,617. That implies a rent-burden proxy of about 36% before utilities and other costs. For a specific job offer, filing status, or take-home pay scenario, use salary.city.

New York has a progressive state income tax with a top rate of 10.9%. The effective property tax rate is 1.72%. On a home worth $330,100, that translates to roughly $5,678 per year in property taxes. Sales tax (state + local) averages around 8.52% on everyday purchases.

The typical monthly rent in Ithaca is around $1,441. That's close to the $1,348 national median. For comparison, the median home value here is $330,100, so buyers should also factor in mortgage payments, property taxes, and insurance.

The median home in Ithaca is valued at $330,100. With 20% down and a 6.5% mortgage rate, you'd be looking at roughly $1,669/month for principal and interest alone — before property taxes and insurance. About 29% of residents here own their homes.

Grocery prices in Ithaca are about average compared to the rest of the US (index: 96, where 100 is the national average). Utility bills (electricity, gas, water) are below average (index: 88). Overall, these everyday costs shouldn't cause major surprises if you're moving from another similarly-sized US city.

Ithaca is a smaller city with a population of about 31,792. The median age of residents is 23.6, skewing younger — often a sign of a college town or fast-growing area. The local poverty rate is 28.41%, above the national average of 12.4%.