Ithaca, New York? (Binghamton, Ontario, Charlotte: appointed, crimes, school)

[tviz25]

Originally Posted by Royal Ranger

You see tviz25....name calling is how enlightened people in Ithaca respond to someone that may have an opinion/observation that doesn't line up with the party line here in Ithaca. We are not judgemental unless of course it goes against what we think. There is also a bumper sticker that reads, "Ithaca - 10 square miles surrounded by reality" Is Ithaca a beautiful place to live? Yes it is. Politically....a conservative is rarer than a sunny day.

Thats a funny bumper sticker

[Corvia]

Ithaca is wonderful!! Jobs are short and the winter is grey and cold and long BUT from Long Island, NY to Long Beach, CA (currently in Colorado Springs, CO) I have never lived as long as in Ithaca or in any place that was so incredibly friendly and community minded. Even if you can't find a decent job, folks work together and it's a great place to be poor in cash if you really want to be rich in intelligent, creative, caring community. Had to leave because I couldn't hold onto the house . . . after visiting for a week (house going on market) my new hubby just raves about the area and we might be moving back.....

If the US economy collapsed tomorrow, Tompkins County is where I'd want to be.

[Ithaca007]

My wife and I moved to Ithaca, NY last year from the Atlanta, GA suburbs. There are many positives to living in Ithaca, NY but Ithaca is not without its negatives, some of which will come as quite a surprise to newcomers who fail to do their research. Here are some practical things to think about before making a decision to move to Ithaca, NY.

Negatives

Although some people on this thread have written that Ithaca is VERY affordable, the definition of affordable will depend on 1) where you have lived prior to coming to Ithaca, 2) your investment portfolio, and 3) your salary in Ithaca. Keep in mind that as I have gotten older I look at life from a practical standpoint, especially the financial aspects of life.

Beware that a $200K home in the city/town of Ithaca, NY is not a very nice home (unless you have low standards). Even more importantly, be aware that the property tax burden in upstate NY is financially paralyzing for a lot of families. For example, a $200K home in Ithaca, NY will yield a property tax bill of nearly $7000 per year!!!

In addition, as several thread writers confessed, it can be very difficult to find a job in Ithaca, NY. My wife and I moved to Ithaca, NY because I got a job at Ithaca College and wanted a lifestyle change. However for us to afford the cost of living in Ithaca, NY she needed to work also. The competition was so fierce for lower level jobs that she experienced 3-stage interview processes for several administrative assistant (secretary) positions. There are many underemployed people in Ithaca, NY!!!

Although it is "fashionable" to be poor in Ithaca, NY one of my colleagues has already left the area because of the high cost of living. He could not afford to raise his family of 4 on the 36K/year salary from Ithaca College. Our real estate agent said that for a family of 4 to live comfortably in Ithaca, NY they would need a family income of approximately $94K. I agree with her, but remember, she said, "comfortably." In addition some of the retirees in Ithaca are leaving the area because they cannot afford to pay their property taxes on their fixed incomes.

Also remember that NY has:

1) higher income taxes
2) higher utility bills
3) higher gasoline prices.

Positives

If money means little to you and winter is a not an issue, Ithaca is a good place to live. The people are friendly, and late spring, summer and early fall are very nice times of the year. The winter however, is long and dreary so make sure you have plenty of interests to occupy your time during the winter months. Consistently good (warm) weather did not come until mid-May this year (2007).

The views of Cayuga lake are beautiful and the water falls are a good attraction. There are numerous hiking trails for people interested in hiking. I enjoy fishing and have caught numerous fish in the area streams. Golf is also reasonably priced and plentiful. The community is full of wildlife and you will see many deer within the city limits.

Purportedly, the elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools are highly regarded in Ithaca, NY and Cornell University provides the Ivy League experience. Ithaca College is also an outstanding school. Education drives the Ithaca economy.

Even though Ithaca bleeds "far left" I have had no problem functioning in the community as a conservative liberal. Someone joking said, "being a conservative liberal in Ithaca is considered right-wing."

The restaurants are decent (but not as spectacular as advertised) and there are many cultural activities.

Summary

Hopefully I have provided some general information about Ithaca, NY, both positive and negative. The negatives for my wife and I are the cost of living for the lower middle class and middle class people and the winter months.

I HIGHLY recommend that if you are interested in moving to Ithaca, NY you should pay the city a visit and ask a real estate agent to show you some property that you might be able to afford. However, make sure you understand the property tax burden of upstate NY and how much you will ultimatley pay per month for your mortgage plus taxes.

[Ellie C.]

All good points Ithaca007. I feel for your colleague, but my goodness, where can anyone raise a family of 4 on $36K a year?

And doesn't anyone here ski? Greek Peak is close enough to get a few runs in after work, and I think they even have night skiing. I have no plans to hibernate when the snow hits.

It's really an outdoor paradise here. The weather couldn't be more beautiful. We spent all day yesterday hiking through one of the parks. The waterfalls and gorges are so incredibly beautiful. We bought an "Empire Pass" that gets us into all the state parks in the entire state for the rest of the year. It was a little over $50 and it's already paid for itself.

It's not cheap to live here, but you can find affordable houses to buy. You have to be QUICK when they come on the market. There's competition for these places and some sell for more than their listing prices.

I've also found that the tax rates vary somewhat and it doesn't always correspond to the listing price. There's also the STAR exemption, which isn't much, but it's better than nothing. There are also places like Groton that have their own energy co-op, so the cost of electricity is cheaper.

[Tioga]

Ellie C...As I recall you were looking to move "up this way".Apparently you have. As for the skiing, my sons have season passes to Greek Peak. I'll say this w/o adding my usual "subtle" sarcasm. Yes, to all you future transplants, Ithaca is very nice. What a lot of future "pilgims", miss, I think is that you can buy some place else(cheaper, but nice) in the area, but still be within a reasonable distance of everything...and there is a rural bus line in Tioga Cty.

[Tioga]

See how us redneck farmers spell...that should have been "pilgrims". So much for my college education...............

[Ellie C.]

I did and I love it. There are some cool towns in Tioga Co. We really like Owego. The river is so pretty and we really love the big old historic houses east (I think) of downtown. It's nice to see that people are maintaining them so well.

[taniamw]

I visited Ithaca last year for my cousins wedding and absolutely loved the town. And the surrounding countryside is breathtaking. Our cousin's wedding reception was at a vineyard overlooking a valley and the Finger Lakes.

[Tioga]

EllieC..where did you relocate from/to?

[missingFLX]

Ithaca, been there - done that... can't wait to do it again. I grew up in a small town about 30 minutes North of Ithaca on Cayuga Lake. I moved around in the area for several years after and during college. I moved with my husband to the Oneonta region. I am excited to say that we are starting to make the plans to move back to the Ithaca area. I lived in the city proper for about a year and it was quite nice, but pricey. We're not city people, so we'll be looking in the outlying communities. I can say, of all the places I've been - I miss that area the most. Please take all this with a grain of salt. In my opinion, one of the best things about Ithaca is the area in general - not just the city.