A data-driven guide for Boulder residents considering Ithaca. Two university towns — one costs 61% less. Real MLS data, not Zillow estimates.
Tompkins County MLS data (2024-2025) vs. Boulder market. Your Boulder budget transforms here.
| Boulder | Ithaca Area | |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $948,000 | $367,000 |
| Price per Sq Ft | $490 | $181 |
| Median Sq Ft | ~2,157 | 1,816 |
| Median Days on Market | ~80 | 9 |
| 1BR Rent (City Center) | $2,336/mo | $2,167/mo |
| 3BR Rent (City Center) | $4,043/mo | $2,700/mo |
Sources: Ithaca Board of REALTORS MLS (1,223 recent sales), Numbeo (Feb 2026)
MLS single-family sales, 2024-2025 (n=1,223)
Monthly budget breakdown for a household earning $150K (typical remote worker keeping Boulder-level salary).
Sources: Numbeo (Feb 2026), MLS rental data. Childcare: Care.com metro averages.
| Item | Boulder | Ithaca |
|---|---|---|
| Inexpensive Meal | $20 | $20 |
| Mid-Range Dinner (2 people) | $80 | $70 |
| Cappuccino | $5.56 | $5.00 |
| Dozen Eggs | $5.60 | $4.04 |
| Chicken Breast (1 lb) | $7.53 | $2.99 |
| Draft Beer | $7.00 | $5.00 |
| Internet (Monthly) | $70.00 | $60.00 |
| Monthly Transit Pass | $150 | $45 |
Source: Numbeo (Feb 2026)
IRS Statistics of Income data tracking address changes. Tax years 2017-18 through 2021-22 (the most recent federal release — IRS migration data carries a multi-year lag as returns are processed and anonymized).
Source: IRS Statistics of Income, county-level inflow. 5-county region: Tompkins, Cayuga, Cortland, Schuyler, Seneca.
| Year | People | Returns | Avg AGI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-18 | 15 | 10 | $50K |
| 2018-19 | 20 | 13 | $55K |
| 2019-20 | 25 | 17 | $60K |
| 2020-21 | 30 | 20 | $62K |
| 2021-22 | 22 | 14 | $58K |
IRS named flows × ACS owner-occupancy rate. Only individually identified flows shown.
How do winters actually compare? Here are the numbers.
Source: BestPlaces, NOAA historical averages
| Boulder | Ithaca | |
|---|---|---|
| Summer High (Jul) | 88°F | 81°F |
| Winter Low (Jan) | 19°F | 15°F |
| Annual Snowfall | 71" | 63" |
| Sunny Days/Year | 245 | 155 |
| Annual Rainfall | 18" | 37" |
| Comfort Index | 7.1/10 | 6.4/10 |
What the numbers say about daily life in both places.
| Boulder | Ithaca Area | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 106,399 | ~105,000 (county) |
| Median Household Income | $85,364 | $68,572 (county)* |
| Violent Crime Rate | 13.5 | 15.7 |
| Property Crime Rate | 40.9 | 42.3 |
| Average Commute | 23 min | 18 min |
| % with Bachelor's Degree+ | 76.2% | 72% (city) |
*County figure (city median is $40K, heavily skewed by student population). US avg violent crime: 22.7. Sources: BestPlaces, Census ACS.
| Employer | Employees | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Cornell University | ~15,400 | Education/Research |
| Ithaca College | ~1,700 | Education |
| Cayuga Health System | ~2,500 | Healthcare |
| Tompkins County | ~900 | Government |
| Borg Warner | ~800 | Manufacturing |
| TCAT (Transit) | ~300 | Transportation |
If you love your Boulder neighborhood, here's where you'd feel at home in Ithaca.
Walkable, foodie culture, historic. Independent shops, close to downtown. The intellectual and culinary heart of the city.
Established, tree-lined streets. Larger lots. Popular with families and senior faculty. Nature access with neighborhood character.
The prestige address. Large homes, manicured properties, village governance. Adjacent to Cornell.
Close to Ithaca College. Practical, family-oriented. Mix of character homes with valley views.
15 minutes west of Ithaca on the edge of wine country. Small-town charm with creative energy. Mountain-town feel, valley setting.
East of Ithaca along Cayuga Lake. Newer construction, family-oriented, lower taxes. Lake access instead of reservoir views.
Ithaca is not as remote as you think.
Ithaca Tompkins International Airport (ITH) is served by Delta and United with daily service to major hubs.
| Route | Airline | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| ITH → Newark (EWR) | United | Daily |
| ITH → Detroit (DTW) | Delta | Daily |
| ITH → Philadelphia (PHL) | American* | Daily |
*Check current schedules at flyithaca.com. One-stop to DEN via Newark or Detroit. DEN is Boulder's home airport.
| Destination | Drive Time | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Syracuse | 1 hr | 58 mi |
| Rochester | 1 hr 40 min | 89 mi |
| Corning / Finger Lakes | 45 min | 40 mi |
| Binghamton | 50 min | 50 mi |
| New York City | 4 hr | 220 mi |
| Philadelphia | 4 hr | 235 mi |
| Boston | 5 hr | 290 mi |
Internet: Fiber broadband available in parts of Ithaca city (up to 1 Gbps). Spectrum cable widely available. Starlink popular for rural properties.
You just read the report. Now talk to the broker who built it. Ask about neighborhoods, schools, housing costs, or what it's actually like to live here. You'll get a real answer -- not an automated drip.
Get the Real ScoopHans Soderquist, Licensed Real Estate Broker
Cornerpin Real Estate | [email protected] | (607) 288-4881