About Ithaca

Ithaca, New York, is a small town with a big reputation. Located at the southern end of Cayuga Lake in New York's beautiful Finger Lakes region, Ithaca is the seat of Tompkins County, home to almost 100,000 people including 25,000 college students at Cornell University, Ithaca College, and Tompkins Cortland Community College.

Thanks to the three colleges, Tompkins County has one of the best-educated populations in the United States and is demographically the youngest county in New York. It also means that over 50% of county jobs are with educational institutions. This results in a relatively stable economy and consistently low unemployment rate.

In the past few years Ithaca has been honored by the Utne Reader as "America's Most Enlightened City" and the city's downtown was named one of "Sixty Best American Public Places", also by the Utne Reader. Smart Money cited our area's "culture and superb health care" in designating Ithaca one of five best places to buy a retirement home. Bike Magazine calls Ithaca one of "America's Five Best Mountain Biking Towns."

Our area's natural wonders include rugged gorges, waterfalls, mature forests, open farmland, and 40-mile long Cayuga Lake. There are three state parks, nine state forests, and a state marina in the county, plus the Cornell Plantations and numerous nature preserves. Municipal parks including Cass, Stewart, and Myers provide public access to Cayuga Lake, playing fields for a wide range of sports, a roller sports park, and a children's garden.

We enjoy diverse music ranging from classical and jazz concerts at Cornell and Ithaca College, to "Bound for Glory", the longest-running folk radio program in the country, to rock and popular performances at the State Theater and around town. Museums include the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art at Cornell, noted for its Asian collections and spectacular views; the History Center in Tompkins County, featuring one of the finest archives of local photographs in the country; and the Sciencenter, a hands-on, community-built facility. Food is a major passion. The Farmers' Market and Greenstar Co-op promote local growers, and there are restaurants of every price range and description.

Education is our main industry, and our commitment to learning extends to public schools. The Ithaca Consolidated School District offers English as a Second Language at several of its schools, and 16 Advanced Placement courses and five foreign languages at Ithaca High School. The district includes an alternative school, with a portfolio-based system of evaluation, for grades 6-12. The schools in Trumansburg, Newfield, Dryden, Groton, and Lansing offer an excellent and more intimate educational experience.

If you are considering a move to the Ithaca area please contact me. With 32 years of residency and ten years buying and selling houses, I can help you with all your real estate needs.

For More on Ithaca

For general information about Ithaca and the region, go to www.visitithaca.com.

Ithaca Events is the most complete listing of events presented throughout Tompkins County.

Visit area school websites at: