2021 Best Places to Live in Tompkins County

Cayuga Heights

• grade A+

• grade A

• 3,689 Population

East Ithaca

• grade A+

• grade A

• 1,886 Population

Lansing

Current Resident: Lansing is a rural town, but being located around fifteen minutes away from Ithaca, New York, provides lots of access to restaurants and activities. The close proximity to Cayuga Lake makes Lansing a beautiful town, and all of the people are welcoming. Lansing High School is a blue ribbon school, and there is a local grocery store, library, and mall that ensure easy access to the necessities...Read 7 Reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• 3,554 Population

South Hill

Niche User: There is going to be crime everywhere you go, but here, in Ithaca, it very unlikely to be a big deal. It's suburban, calm, quiet, and relaxing.Read 15 Reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• 6,551 Population

Ithaca

• Town in New York
• Rating 3.95 out of 5  147 reviews

Current Resident: Ithaca is a beautiful town, with so many excellent qualities. As a multi-college-town (Ithaca College, Cornell University, Tompkins County Community College), it functions as a great hub of student life. There are more restaurants per capita than in New York City! Not to mention the surrounding natural areas- amazing, beautiful! The cost of living is a bit high, but overall, I have very few complaints...Read 147 Reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• 30,569 Population

Ithaca Town

Current Resident: It is a place where the city meets the suburbs and it is the perfect place for college students and families! Ithaca promotes education and respect for the environment in which we live.Read 14 Reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• 19,847 Population

Forest Home

• grade A+

• grade A

• 601 Population

Caroline

• Town in New York

• grade A

• grade A

• 3,362 Population

Danby

• Town in New York
• Rating 2.67 out of 5  3 reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• 3,417 Population

Dryden

• Town in New York
• Rating 3.25 out of 5  20 reviews

Current Resident: I grew up in Dryden, and through Cornell and Ithaca College, I now have friends and connections all over the planet. It's a very homely place to grow up while still being well connected. The work environments are interesting: there are many small and start-up companies due to the colleges, but relatively few large businesses due to those same colleges. It also has a delicate balance between political conservatism and liberalism due to it's college-town reputation surrounded by rural upstate New York...Read 20 Reviews

• grade A

• grade A minus

• 14,498 Population

Ulysses

• grade A minus

• grade A minus

• 4,953 Population

Trumansburg

• Town in New York
• Rating 3.86 out of 5  7 reviews

Current Resident: Trumansburg is a very lively, healthy, community centered town. Everyone in Trumansburg is helpful and friendly. It is the best place to walk around town on a friday night and interact with the community. All the unique shops insure that everyone will find one place or another that they will fall in love with. All in all Trumansburg is a great town to live in!...Read 7 Reviews

• grade A minus

• grade B

• 1,661 Population

Freeville

• Town in New York
• Rating 3 out of 5  1 review

• grade A minus

• grade B

• 425 Population

Enfield

• Town in New York

• grade B+

• grade A

• 3,509 Population

Groton

• Town in New York
• Rating 3.29 out of 5  7 reviews

Current Resident: Living in the village of Groton gives you a sense of community. It has just enough, so you don't have to drive in town constantly.Read 7 Reviews

• grade B

• grade C+

• 5,913 Population

Newfield

• Town in New York
• Rating 3.6 out of 5  10 reviews

Current Resident: Peaceful, rural living with the benefit of being a reasonable drive to multiple 'cities'. Schools over perform, given funding. Could be a bit more diverse of a community.Read 10 Reviews

• grade B minus

• grade B minus

• 5,189 Population