Bridged Ep. 5: The Student Impact on Housing

Cornell University and Ithaca College students living off-campus have impacted the rental market in Ithaca. During the school year, college students make up nearly half of Ithaca’s population. According to a report by the Community Foundation of Tompkins County, only 6% of students in Tompkins County live in university sponsored off-campus housing. For other university towns, that number is usually around 25-35%. High paying, young and temporary renters means that the rental market in Ithaca has skyrocketed. This makes renting, and even home buying, an unsustainable reality for many permanent residents.