The typical owner-occupied home in Tompkins County is worth about $290,900, 31% below the New York median of $423,800 and 13% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $6,515 a year in property taxes, about 2.24% of their home's value, higher than the New York rate of 1.55%. The median household earns $74,024 a year, so the median home costs 3.9 times the median income (4.9 times for New York). 54% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 52% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Tompkins County at a glance
| Tompkins County | New York | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $290,900 | $423,800 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $6,515 | $6,582 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 2.24% | 1.55% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $74,024 | $85,974 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 54% | 54% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 52% | 58% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $2,042 | $2,555 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 19.4% | 22.5% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $1,411 | $1,621 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 34.5% | 31.2% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1974 | 1959 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 9.5% | 10.0% | 10.1% |
| Population | 104,537 | 19,852,366 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Tompkins County
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Tompkins County home of $290,900 with 20% down costs about $2,230 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,714, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.
Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $95,560 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 36% of the median Tompkins County household income of $74,024; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $225,000.
The median rent here is $1,411 a month, so owning the median home costs about $819 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $58,180 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $232,720 |
| Principal and interest | $1,566 |
| Property taxes (2.24% a year) | $543 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $121 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $2,230 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $10,182 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $285,631 |
| Principal and interest | $1,921 |
| Property taxes (2.24% a year) | $543 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $121 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $129 |
| Total per month | $2,714 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Tompkins County
What is the median home value in Tompkins County?
About $290,900 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Tompkins County?
Homeowners pay a median $6,515 a year, which is about 2.24% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
What income do you need to buy a home in Tompkins County?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $2,230 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $95,560 a year.
More about Tompkins County
- Mortgage Refinance in Tompkins County
- Debt Relief in Tompkins County
- Home Equity Loans in Tompkins County
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data