Commute from Ithaca to Binghamton? (New York, Owego: real estate, university, price)

[flgrl]

My husband has been offered a job in the Binghamton area (we'd be moving from a southern college town). I've searched the forums and people's feelings toward Binghamton seem to be a little mixed. I've researched that general area of New York and Ithaca seems like a cool little town. Is it possible to commute from Ithaca to Binghamton or is that just crazy?

[ScranBarre]

It all depends upon your definition of "crazy." I know of people who commute daily from here in Scranton, PA two hours away to New York City for a daily round-trip commute of around 4.5 hours. I think THAT would be "crazy." Ithaca, in my humble opinion, certainly is a much nicer city overall than Binghamton, including the lakefront setting and the surrounding gorges/waterfalls. It would be worth the drive.

[Hartwick]

Commute from Ithaca to Binghamton...certainly it is do-able, but I would not want to do that commute for any length of time. It is about 45 to 60 minutes, depending on where he would start and his final destination. But for a few miles, it's all on 2-lane roads. When the weather is bad(lots of snow and ice), or when students are returning or leaving the Cornell University or Ithaca College campuses, then the commute can be quite slow, and dangerous. With the cost of gasoline, the hour or so each way, the risks associated with driving in winter, on and on, I personally think it's a foolish idea.

Certainly, Ithaca is a great little town with lots to offer, but Binghamton, despite what you may have read in these posts, still is a quiet, safe, reasonably cost area with more than adequate educational resources, outstanding medical facilities, an abundance of quite fairly priced housing, a growing retail community, proximity to interstates, etc. If you spend time here, get yourself an experienced real estate professional, have some criteria as to what you are seeking in a housing area/market, I think you'll be quite satisfied with the Binghamton area(and it's many suburbs). If you need to go to Ithaca on the weekends, then it's within reasonable driving distance. But, to commute daily...not a good idea.

[Ellie C.]

I think that commute would get very old very fast. Owego is a cute town though, and just up RT17 from Binghamton.

[vicarian]

From the city of Ithaca to the city of Binghamton is about an hour, give or take depending on weather and seasonal traffic. I've heard of people commuting that far, but I don't imagine it would be a fun commute.

You might want to check out some of the towns between the two cities- that way, the commute to Binghamton isn't as bad, and you can still visit Ithaca as you please. housing tends to cheaper in the smaller towns as well. Caroline, Danby, Candor, Owego, and Van Etten come to mind.

[ScranBarre]

Whitney Point, which sits at the I-81 exit for Ithaca, may be another option.

[Tioga]

We have a number of local folks who commute from the Owego area to Ithaca on a daily basis....I know there is a (limited) commuter bus service back and forth ea/day also.

[flgrl]

Thanks to everyone for their advice. Much appreciated.