What is the eviction risk score for Ithaca?

The landlord eviction risk score for Ithaca, NY is 8.6 out of 10, rated Very High risk.

Does Ithaca have rent control?

The rent-control risk score for Ithaca is 9.3 out of 10.

How long does an eviction take in Ithaca?

Typical eviction timeline is about 361 days from notice to writ of possession.

Ithaca, NY Eviction Risk Score Tompkins County · New York · Population 32,814

8.6 Very High

70.1%Tenant-law probability

$18,587–37,526Typical eviction cost

361 daysTypical timeline

$1,447Median gross rent

41.3%Rent burden

70.4%Renters

Sub-score breakdown

Local political climate

7.7

Dem margin +49.2% in 2020

Regional political climate

7.7

Dem margin +49.2% in 2020

State political climate

7.3

Economic stress

8.5

28.4% poverty · 7.2% unemployed

Supply constraint

9.0

$1,447 median rent · 70.4% renters

Rent-control risk

9.3

41.3% rent burden

Eviction process difficulty

6.8

Tenant organizing strength

9.8

70.4% renters

Housing court bias

9.2

Sub-scores are national percentile rankings (1 = most landlord-friendly, 10 = most tenant-protective) derived from ACS 2023 5-year data, 2020 county presidential margin, and state law weighting. Source: ACS 2023 5-year + Gazetteer 2024.

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About eviction risk in Ithaca, NY

Ithaca, NY has an eviction risk score of 8.6 out of 10, placing it in the very high-risk tier for landlords operating in Tompkins County and the state of New York. The score combines local political climate, court disposition patterns, cost-of-eviction estimates, tenant organizing strength, and the likelihood of new tenant-protective legislation in the next legislative cycle.

Census ACS 2023 5-year estimates show median gross rent as a percentage of household income is 41.3% — a core driver of eviction filings, because households above 30% of income on rent are statistically more likely to miss a payment after any income shock. Median gross rent in Ithaca is $1,447/month. About 70.4% of occupied units here are renter-occupied.

Economic stress: poverty rate 28.4%, unemployment 7.2%. Higher values correlate with higher eviction filing rates and longer court timelines.

Political climate: In 2020, Tompkins County voted Democratic by 49.3 points — classified as strongly tenant-leaning for purposes of rent-control or just-cause expansion risk.

What this score means for landlords

At 8.6/10, Ithaca is a high-risk environment. Expect exposure to just-cause requirements, relocation payments, extended notice periods, longer court timelines, and tenant attorneys contesting summary proceedings. Budget conservatively for cost and timeline, and audit lease addenda, disclosures, and notice templates against the latest state and local ordinances before any non-payment or holdover action.