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Ithaca, NY

The Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Ithaca, NY is $1,753 per month, ranking #119 out of 693 areas nationwide. The area median household income is $73,012, meaning a household spending Fair Market Rent on a 2-bedroom would pay 28.8% of income on housing. Rent in Ithaca has increased 5.3% year over year. The area has a population of 103K, with 46.2% of households renting.

28.8%
Moderately Affordable
of income → rent
$1,753
2BR Fair Market Rent
vs $1,250 national median
$73,012
Median Income
vs $71,049 national
$1,374
Actual Median Rent
Census ACS estimate
+5.3%
Year-over-Year
2BR FMR change
103K
Population
Census ACS
46.2%
Renters
of occupied housing
$271,500
Median Home Value
8.6%
Vacancy Rate
of housing units
15.3%
Poverty Rate
below poverty line

Fair Market Rent by Bedroom Size

$1,263
Studio
$1,466
1 Bedroom
$1,753
2 Bedroom
$2,102
3 Bedroom
$2,624
4 Bedroom

Fair Market Rents (FMRs) are set annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality units in an area. FMRs are used to determine payment standards for the Housing Choice Voucher program and other federal housing assistance.

Housing Affordability

In Ithaca, NY, a household earning the area median income of $73,012 would spend 28.8% of their gross income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This falls below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, meaning housing is relatively affordable for median-income households in this area.

Income Needed for 2BR
$70,120
annual (30% threshold)
Hourly Wage Needed
$34
full-time (2,080 hrs/yr)
Actual Median Rent
$1,374
$379 below FMR

5-Year Rent Trend

+38.1% since 2021
$1,2692021$1,3652022$1,4872023$1,6642024$1,7022025$1,7532026

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent by fiscal year. Source: HUD FMR API.

Minimum Wage Affordability

The minimum wage in New York is $15.50/hr. A minimum-wage worker would need to work 87 hours per week to afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding 30% of income on housing. This means a single minimum-wage earner cannot afford a 2-bedroom working a standard 40-hour week. The poverty rate in Ithaca is 15.3%, near the national average of approximately 12.4%.

State Min Wage
$15.50/hr
Hours/Week Needed
87 hrs
Poverty Rate
15.3%

Housing Market Context

The median home value in Ithaca is $271,500. At a median income of $73,012, this represents a price-to-income ratio of 3.7x. 8.6% of housing units in the area are vacant, which is near the national average.

Rent vs. Buy
$1,901 est. mortgage
vs $1,753 FMR rent
Vacancy Rate
8.6%
of housing units

Other Areas in New York

New York
$2,910/mo
2BR FMR · 35.9% burden
Nassau-Suffolk
$2,747/mo
2BR FMR · 33.9% burden
Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh
$1,979/mo
2BR FMR · 24.5% burden
Kingston
$1,818/mo
2BR FMR · 26.7% burden
Albany-Schenectady-Troy
$1,702/mo
2BR FMR · 23.7% burden

Compare Ithaca

vs New York, NYvs Nassau-Suffolk, NYvs Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY

Areas With Similar Rent to Ithaca

Frequently Asked Questions

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Ithaca, NY is $1,753 per month. A studio is $1,263/mo, a 1-bedroom is $1,466/mo, and a 3-bedroom is $2,102/mo. The actual median gross rent from Census data is $1,374/mo.

Ithaca has a rent burden of 28.8%, meaning a household earning the median income of $73,012 would spend 28.8% of income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This is below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, indicating relatively affordable housing. To afford a 2-bedroom without being cost-burdened, a household would need an annual income of at least $70,120.

Ithaca's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,753/mo is $503 above the national median of $1,250/mo. Ithaca ranks #119 out of 693 areas for highest rent in the United States.

To afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Ithaca without spending more than 30% of income on housing, you would need an annual household income of at least $70,120, or a full-time hourly wage of $34/hour. The area median income is $73,012.

The 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Ithaca increased by 5.3% compared to the prior year. This is a significant increase, suggesting growing demand in the local housing market.

Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality rental units. Rent burden is calculated as annual 2BR FMR divided by area median household income. Census data (income, home value, population, vacancy) is from the ACS 5-Year estimates. Unemployment rates are from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.