Ithaca, New York

Cost-of-Living:  Meets U.S. National Average

Vibrant Ithaca, New York (population 29,000 + students) is home to Cornell University (founded in 1865) and Ithaca College (founded in 1931) and is known for its high quality of life and liberal social and political environment.  

Situated in the center of New York State on the shore of 40-mile long Cayuga Lake (one of the Finger Lakes), this lovely college town was once called "The City of Evil" for its tolerance of gambling, drinking and swearing.  Today, it is less rowdy, growing economically and has a cost-of-living and youthful ambiance that appeals to many seniors.  In fact, roughly 28% of the population is aged 45-64 and 17% is 65 or above.

Downtown Ithaca sits on a valley floor, and residential neighborhoods dot the lush hills around the city.  A good variety of working class and upper-income neighborhoods give new residents many housing options.  Cayuga Heights is the high-end neighborhood (homes here start in the $650,000s).  Circa 1950s, 2 and 3 bedroom, ranch-style, single family homes in less prestigious (but very nice) areas of town start in the mid-$100,000s.  Newer, bi-level, rather average, 2-3 bedroom homes in pleasant, leafy neighborhoods also start in the mid-$100,000s.  

In the more affluent area of town known as South Hill (where Ithaca College is located) lovely, three bedroom homes (2,100 square feet) on acreage can be had for $189,000, and $225,000 will fetch a renovated, 1940s, "Cape Cod"-style home with 2,500 square feet, 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, a double garage and a large wooded lot, although homes in the $300,000s are common.  Town homes and condos do not seem to be plentiful, but the few 2 bedroom units we found were for sale in the low $100,000s.  

Ithaca has at least seven manufactured home communities, although none targeting seniors specifically (there are, however, two age-restricted mobile home parks in nearby Newfield).  At this writing, we found one mobile home for sale for $29,000 (3 bedrooms, 1 bath).  Individual manufactured homes on 7-10 acres outside of town can be found for $63,000.

Kendal at Ithaca (607-266-5300) is an attractive continuing care retirement community with 105 acres, 212 independent living cottages and resident-driven activities.  Residency requires an application, entrance fee and monthly fee.  Bridges Cornell Heights offers assisted living to small groups of seniors in gorgeous late-nineteenth-century mansions.

This being a college town, Ithaca has a sizeable number of apartments for rent, although during the fall and spring semesters, most of these are rented to students.  Buildings that cater to students tend to have lower rental rates, and in these, one bedroom units can be found for $500-$550 per month and 2 bedroom units for $625-$675 per month or so.  In nicer buildings, one bedroom units start at about $725 per month, and 2 bedroom units start at around $800 per month.

While Ithaca has a good selection of affordable single family homes, property taxes are above the national average.   And although it is an affordable city, it is more expensive than other areas in this part of New York State, primarily because it is a university town.

Long Term Care Services (607-274-5278) is a local group that assists seniors with long term care issues and acts as a referral service for many other senior services, including home health care providers, housekeepers, legal services, support groups, nutrition classes, tax preparation and much more.  Lifelong (607-273-1511) is "an organization committed to promoting wellness in later life through recreation, education, advocacy and volunteering for persons aged 50 and over" and is run for seniors by seniors.

This is definitely a college town, and life in Ithaca is richly textured.  Ivy League Cornell University provides opportunities to attend theater events (the Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts presents numerous plays each year), guest lecture series, workshops, museum exhibits and much more; many of these events are free to the public.  Ithaca is also home to the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra, the Ithaca Opera Association and the contemporary art Handwerker Gallery.  Smaller museums, art galleries, book stores, craft shops and antique shops also give seniors plenty to keep them busy.  The Ithaca Commons, the wonderful, funky, restored, downtown pedestrian marketplace, is full of one-of-a-kind shops and award-winning restaurants.   This is an enlightened place, and liberal intellectualism permeates every corner.

Ithaca is also known for its three gorgeous gorges within city limits.   Circle Greenway is a 10 mile walking path that winds from the Commons downtown to Cornell University and bypasses these gorges and some lovely waterfalls.  Two bird sanctuaries are located on the Cornell campus, and lovely parks are found throughout town.   Golfers will find four 18-hole courses and two 9-hole courses, and shoppers will be glad to know that two new commercial areas, one on the northeast side of town and one on the southwest side of town, are home to numerous chain stores and restaurants, although they tend to draw business from the Commons.  Lush, scenic countryside and farmland surround Ithaca, and vineyards with tempting aromas and year-round tasting events dot the Finger Lakes region making for great afternoon getaways, particularly in the fall when the hills sparkle with color.

Volunteerism is valued here, and CIVITAS (Cornell Ithaca Volunteers in Training and Service) is a group that connects volunteers of all ages together with opportunities for helping others in the community.   Ithaca's more than 60 churches and synagogues also provide avenues for volunteering.  

This is a walkable city, which is good because it has some traffic congestion problems; these will probably get worse.  Ithaca does have an extensive and popular bus system (TCAT) and runs nearly all routes seven days a week.  Seniors ride for half price (75 cents).  Monthly passes are $45 and allow for unlimited rides for 30 days at a time.  Gadabout is a door-to-door, demand-responsive service for people aged 60 and above.   The nearest major highway is 30 miles away, which is unusual for an urban area of this size.

205-bed Cayuga Medical Center is Ithaca's emergency, primary and acute care provider and offers a complete range of medical services.  More extensive medical care is available in Rochester (90 miles) and Syracuse (50 miles).  Seniors will be glad to know that Ithaca is a safe city, with most crime categories below the national average, and it has a comfortable, civilized feel to it.   Urban sprawl and air pollution are minimal.

Ithaca experiences cold, snowy winters and occasional hot and humid summers.  July temperatures average in the 80s, and January temperatures average in the 30s.  The city receives 3-4 inches of precipitation per month (which translates into 2 or more feet of snow per month in the winter), and the sun shines 30% to 50% of the time, depending on the time of year.

A drawback to living here for some will be the sheer number of college students.  The combined student population of Cornell and Ithaca College is roughly 26,000 students, which is nearly the size of the permanent population.   The liberal tilt of the city may also not be everyone's cup of tea.   Click here for the local Chamber of Commerce.

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