Rent vs. Buy in Tompkins County, NY

Should you rent or buy in Tompkins County? Here are the numbers.

Median Home Price

$264,300

Median Rent

$1,320/mo

Price-to-Rent Ratio

16.7x

Homeownership Rate

54.3%

Monthly Cost Comparison

Buying (20% down, 6.5% rate)

Mortgage (P&I)$1,336
Property Tax$520
Insurance$88

Total Monthly$1,944

Renting

Monthly Rent$1,320
Renter's Insurance$25

Total Monthly$1,345

In Tompkins County, buying costs approximately $624/mo more than renting. This doesn't account for equity buildup, tax deductions, or home appreciation.

About Tompkins County, New York

Tompkins County in New York has a median household income of $69,995 and an effective property tax rate of 2.4%. With a price-to-rent ratio of 16.7x, the rent-vs-buy decision is nuanced and depends on your timeline.

These are starting estimates based on county-level medians. Your actual costs depend on the specific property, your credit score, down payment, and dozens of other variables. Our Monte Carlo simulation models 10,000 scenarios to give you probability-weighted answers, not single-point estimates.

Run Your Personalized Analysis for Tompkins County

Enter your specific numbers — home price, rent, income, down payment — and get a Monte Carlo simulation with 10,000 scenarios, NPV breakeven analysis, and tax-adjusted comparison.

Start Free Analysis →

Other Counties in New York

County-level data from U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2022 5-Year Estimates. Additional sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Housing Finance Agency. Estimates are based on county-level medians and may not reflect specific neighborhoods or property types. This is not financial advice — consult a licensed professional before making housing decisions.