Ithaca, New York

Ithaca, New York

Introduction to Ithaca, New York

The New York city of Ithaca, which sits in the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York, is the county seat of Tompkins County. Named for the Greek island of Ithaca, the city is situated 33 miles northeast of Elmira, 50 miles northwest of Binghamton, and about 60 miles south of Syracuse. Ithaca is noted for being home to Cornell University and also Ithaca College.

By the time of Ithaca's incorporation as a city in 1888, Cornell University had already marked the 20th anniversary of its founding by Ezra Cornell. A few years later, in 1892, W. Grant Egbert founded the Ithaca Conservatory of Music, later to become Ithaca College. During the early 20th century, Ithaca was an important center in the silent film industry, spearheaded by the Wharton brothers, film makers who set up a motion picture studio and shot several silent films at a site which is now Stewart Park. Today Ithaca relies chiefly on education and manufacturing to drive its expanding economy, with a significant amount of support from tourism, viniculture, and high technology. As evidence of the city's success, USA Today ranked Ithaca number one on its list of "Emerging Cities" in March 2004.

Things to do in the Ithaca Area

Tourists converge on the Ithaca area to take in its natural scenery and its numerous hiking, skiing, and bicycling trails. In addition, the region surrounding Ithaca is populated with several wineries, many of which specialize in varietals of the native Labrusca grape. Ithaca is also home to a number of historical societies and museums, including the following:

• The Sciencenter
• Paleontological Research Institution's Museum of the Earth
• F.R. Newman Arboretum
• Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Fine Art
• Historic Ithaca's State Theatre
• Museum of the Earth at PRI

Recreational sites in and around Ithaca include the following:

• Buttermilk Falls State Park
• Robert H. Treman State Park
• Cayuga Lake
• Taughannock Falls State Park
• Beebe Lake
• Ithaca Falls
• Cass Park Rink & Pool
• Ringwood Raceway

Sports fans can catch some pro action less than an hour's drive away. The nearby city of Elmira is home to the Elmira Jackals, a pro hockey team in the United Hockey League (UHL). The city of Auburn (40 miles to the north) is the home town of the Auburn Doubledays, a Minor League Class-A baseball farm team of the Toronto Blue Jays. Nearby Binghamton hosts two professional teams: the Binghamton Mets (a Minor League Baseball Class-AA affiliate of the New York Mets) and the Binghamton Senators (a pro hockey Ottawa Senators affiliate playing in the American Hockey League). A 60-mile drive north to the city of Syracuse will find the Syracuse Sky Chiefs, a Minor League baseball team which is the AAA Blue Jays affiliate, and the Syracuse Crunch, an American Hockey League team affiliated with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

High Points

Ithaca strengths, compared to Peers (similar size places nationally) or State (other places in New York):

Category	Trophy
Walking and Biking to Work (vs. Peers)	Top 1%
Short Commute Times (vs. Peers)	Top 3%
College Educated Adults (vs. Peers)	Top 5%
Racial Diversity (vs. State)	Top 12%
Public Transportation Use (vs. Peers)	Top 13%

Comparative Profile of Ithaca, NY

Comparing Ithaca to similar size places nationwide (Peers) and to other places in New York (State):

Ratings range from (lowest) to (highest).

The People

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Male Share of the Population
Racial Diversity
Well-Paid Single Men
Senior Citizens
Female Share of the Population
Children Under 5 Years Old
Age of the Population

Families

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Average Household Size
Portion of People Married

Wealth

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
College Educated Adults
Median Family Income
People in Middle Class or Better
People Above Poverty

Commute & Sprawl

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Walking and Biking to Work
Short Commute Times
Working at Home
Public Transportation Use

Housing

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
People Living Alone
Studio & One-Bedroom Rentals
Seasonal and Vacation Housing
Affordability of Rents
Affordability of Property Taxes
Housing Recently Built

Ithaca Almanac

Ithaca Climate

Nearest Weather Stations

• Temp ranges are avg daily min and max for the month
• Precipitation is rainfall (and rainfall equiv of snowfall)

Ithaca Population (2000)

(From 2000 Census, as reported by individuals)

Political Contributions (2004)

Money donated by Ithaca residents to parties and candidates for the 2004 elections.

by Political Party

by Presidential Candidate

Neighborhood and Nearby Area Names

According to the US Postal Service, Ithaca, its neighborhoods, and/or surrounding areas are also referred to as:

Note that not all alternate names are acceptable for use in US Post Office addresses.

Nearby Cities and Towns

Ithaca Hospitals

CAYUGA MEDICAL CENTER AT ITHACA
(Voluntary non-profit - Private)
101 DATES DRIVE
(607) 274-4401
Emergency Service: Yes

Ithaca High Schools (2004)

ITHACA SHS
1401 N CAYUGA ST
607-274-2145
Serves 1,551 students.

ALTERNATIVE COMM SCHOOL
111 CHESTNUT ST
607-274-2183
A Non-traditional School
Serves 263 students.

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