Real Estate Investing in Tompkins County, New York

Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.

8 ZIP codes • Population: 100,807

Should you buy in Tompkins County, NY? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
MIXED
Grade C (66/100)

Mixed signals β€” some positives, some negatives. Worth considering but not a slam-dunk.

πŸ“ˆ For Investors
MIXED
3.0 / 5 (47/100)

A middle-of-the-road market. Workable, but the best opportunities may be nearby ZIPs rather than this one.

⚠️ Risks to Know
2 flags
  • Elevated vacancy: 8.4% vacancy may signal weakening demand.
  • Tenant-protective state: Landlord rating 1.0/5 β€” slower evictions, more regulations.

What’s happening in Tompkins County, NY?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

County-wide average

3.0/ 5

Appreciation

6.7% 5yr CAGR

1.0/ 5

Landlord Climate

Regulatory friendliness

Avg Investability β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…
Avg Home Value $319,062
Avg Monthly Rent $1,534
ZIP Codes 8

Investing in Tompkins County Real Estate

Across Tompkins County's 8 ZIPs, the picture is lackluster β€” soft rents, slow appreciation, and demographic headwinds that don't obviously reverse in the medium term.

The investment case for Tompkins County is difficult to make on screen data alone. better suited elsewhere for a 3.0 rating and cap rates that appear attractive only until real vacancy is underwritten.

A 100,807 population and $N/AK household income profile is what makes Tompkins a challenging rental region β€” the base is present, but the affordability math is tight.

A great house in the wrong ZIP is still a bad deal — screen every market by cash flow & cap rate.
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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in Tompkins County, NY. Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Avg Home Value
$319,062
Avg Monthly Rent
$1,534
1% Rule
βœ— Below
Landlord Friendly (NY)
β˜…β˜†β˜†β˜†β˜†

πŸ“‰ Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Ithaca, NY metro

1/10
Low Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
1/3
51%
Days Pending
0/2
0 days

View all metro crash risk rankings β†’

πŸŽ“ Colleges & Universities in Tompkins County

3 Colleges 35,812 Students 1,137 Off-Campus Renters
A
Cornell University
4-Year Private Β· 26,264 students
C+
Ithaca College
4-Year Private Β· 4,828 students
C
Tompkins Cortland Community College
2-Year Public Β· 4,720 students
πŸ“ ~1,137 students rent off-campus

Investor Insight: With 1,137 students living off-campus, Tompkins County has substantial rental demand from the college population β€” typically stable, lease-renewing tenants.

Cities in Tompkins County

ZIP Codes in Tompkins County, NY

Screen every market in Tompkins County

Filter this county’s ZIPs by cap rate, vacancy, appreciation and 30+ more criteria, and export your shortlist to CSV — with the Investor plan ($19/mo). Add weekly alerts when these markets move with Investor Pro+.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Tompkins County

Are renters plentiful in, NY?

Expect a solid tenant pool in, NY. The rental market absorbs $1,534/mo rents without meaningful friction.

How does, NY stack up for property investment?

With a 3.0/5 investability score, NY ranks as a solid market for rental property investors. Median prices of $319K and rents of $1,534/mo drive the underlying numbers.

How do home values compare in, NY?

Median home price in, NY is near $319K, with a 5-year CAGR of 0.0%. Prices have been measured and supportive of buy-and-hold strategies.

What is the smart move for investors in, NY?

Investors usually favor careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management in, NY. With home values at $319K and rents near $1,534/mo, other strategies can work but produce predictable rather than outsized returns.

Community Ratings

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