Cost to Own
United StatesNew YorkTompkins CountyEast Ithaca Population 2,372 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in East Ithaca, New York

A $321,000 home here costs

$2,971

per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,650. The real number is $1,321 higher every month — 80% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

East Ithaca median: $320,900
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
US average household

Where every dollar goes

Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.

Principal & interest30-year fixed, $256,800 borrowed $1,650
Property tax2.414% effective rate for East Ithaca itself $646
Homeowners insuranceNew York averages $1,455/yr (NAIC), or 0.264% of home value $71
Electricity29.93¢/kWh — New York residential average, EIA $269
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $268
Total monthly $2,971

East Ithaca against Tompkins County and New York

MeasureEast IthacaTompkins County
Median home value$320,900$271,500
Median property tax$7,746$6,374
Effective tax rate2.414%2.348%
Median gross rent$1,657$1,374
Population2,372102,879

The weather behind that power bill

East Ithaca sits in Tompkins County, which averages a high of 79.9°F in its hottest month and a low of 14.6°F in its coldest, with 38.29" of precipitation a year and 30% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 416 cooling and 7,207 heating degree days, which is what sets the $269 electricity line above.

See the full climate breakdown for Tompkins County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.

Other cities in Tompkins County

Full Tompkins County cost breakdown · Every county in New York

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in East Ithaca?

A $321,000 home in East Ithaca, New York costs approximately $2,971 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,650 principal and interest, $646 property tax, $71 homeowners insurance, $337 utilities and $268 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in East Ithaca?

East Ithaca has an effective property tax rate of 2.414%, based on a median home value of $320,900 and median real estate taxes of $7,746. That is higher than the Tompkins County average of 2.348%.

What is the average home price in East Ithaca?

The median owner-occupied home value in East Ithaca, New York is $320,900, against $271,500 across Tompkins County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in East Ithaca?

Median gross rent in East Ithaca is $1,657 a month, against $2,971 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.

Sources & methodology

  • Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for East Ithaca — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
  • Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for New York.
  • Electricity price — EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
  • Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
  • Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.

Full methodology