Ithaca vs Rome
Ithaca, New York versus Rome, New York: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Rome edges out Ithaca on overall objective livability (43 vs 39 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Ithaca | Rome |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $45k | $57k |
| Cost of Living | $63k | $50k |
| Home Value | $324k | $125k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $867 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.58% | 3.30% |
| Income Tax | 10.90% | 10.90% |
| Sales Tax | 8.53% | 8.53% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 32.09% | 20.95% |
| Unemployment | 5.9% | 5.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 23°F | 22°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 68°F | 70°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 38.3 in | 43.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 62.9 in | 164.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 203 days | 187 days |
| Summer Humidity | 60°F | 60°F |
| Comfortable Days | 76 days | 81 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 50.0 | 12.0 |
| Air Quality | 43 AQI | 43 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 1507/100k | 1725/100k |
| Property Crime | 3772/100k | 1539/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 31,359 | 32,031 |
| Median Age | 22.8 | 40.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.52 | 0.25 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.01 | 1.02 |
| Political Leaning | D+50 | R+16 |
| White (%) | 63.9% | 83.3% |
| Black (%) | 4.9% | 4.4% |
| Hispanic (%) | 8.0% | 6.1% |
| Asian (%) | 15.6% | 1.6% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 7.5% | 4.5% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 18 min | 18 min |
| Walkability | 10.3/20 | 9.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 76 mi | 110 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 85.6% | 84.9% |
| Amenities Nearby | 73.66 | 11.86 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Ithaca or Rome more affordable?
- Rome has the lower cost of living: its index is $50k, compared with Ithaca's $63k and Rome's $50k. Median rent is $1k in Ithaca versus $867 in Rome.
- Is Ithaca or Rome safer?
- Ithaca has the lower violent crime rate. Ithaca reports 1507/100k and Rome reports 1725/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Ithaca or Rome?
- The median home value is $324k in Ithaca and $125k in Rome, so homes are more affordable in Rome.