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Ithaca College is a mid-sized private institution of roughly 6,000 students perched on South Hill above the city of Ithaca in the Finger Lakes region of New York. The college is nationally recognized for its School of Communications, Roy H. Park School of Communications, and its programs in music, film, television, and the performing arts, drawing students who are serious about careers in media and creative fields. The campus occupies a dramatic hilltop setting with views of Cayuga Lake and sits adjacent to Cornell University, giving students access to a college town with significant cultural and academic resources. Campus life is active and community-oriented, with strong traditions around residential life, student organizations, and performing arts productions. After freshman year, many students migrate off campus into the dense rental markets of Collegetown and the surrounding South Hill streets, where the IC student community maintains a strong presence. The combination of a rigorous academic environment, scenic location, and proximity to both Cornell and downtown Ithaca makes Ithaca College a distinctive place to live and study.
Ithaca College requires all first-year students to live in on-campus residence halls for their freshman year. This policy is intended to support academic transition and community building during the first year. Exemptions are granted only in limited circumstances such as living with a parent or guardian within a defined commuting distance.
Students who have completed their freshman year are generally eligible to sign off-campus leases. The most common move-off timeline is after sophomore year, though some students transition after freshman year with approved exemptions. Popular off-campus areas include Collegetown, the South Hill neighborhood, and downtown Ithaca.
The Ithaca rental market moves extremely early relative to most college towns. Many landlords begin showing and signing leases for the following academic year as early as October and November of the preceding fall. Students planning to move off campus should begin their search in September or October to access the best units before they are claimed.
Housing policies change frequently. Always verify current requirements directly with Ithaca College before signing a lease.
Students who begin looking in September or October of their sophomore year secure the widest selection of off-campus housing. Ithaca landlords are known for signing leases many months in advance, and the best apartments near campus are claimed well before the spring semester. Getting organized early, including finding compatible roommates, is essential to landing a desirable unit at a manageable rent.
The most intense competition for off-campus housing typically runs from October through December. During this window, students from both Ithaca College and Cornell University are actively searching, which compresses supply significantly across South Hill and Collegetown. Students who wait until after winter break may find that most of the well-located units have already been leased.
Students who miss the early window can still find housing through spring sublet listings and landlord vacancies that arise from student withdrawals. Off-campus listings farther from South Hill toward downtown Ithaca or the West End tend to remain available longer into the spring. Local Facebook groups and the IC off-campus housing board are useful resources for units that become available late in the cycle. Students should also contact local property management companies directly, as they occasionally hold units back from online platforms until late spring.
Collegetown is the primary off-campus rental district shared by Ithaca College and Cornell students, located on East Hill adjacent to both campuses. It offers dense apartment living with short walking distances to campus, though rents tend to be higher than other parts of Ithaca.
The South Hill neighborhood surrounds Ithaca College directly and includes a mix of single-family rentals, multi-unit houses, and small apartment buildings. Students living here enjoy walkable access to campus while benefiting from a slightly quieter residential character than Collegetown.
Downtown Ithaca sits at the base of South Hill and offers rental options with access to the Commons pedestrian district, restaurants, and the Ithaca Farmers Market. Students without cars should note that the walk or bus ride up the hill adds meaningful commute time to daily campus trips.
The West End of Ithaca near Inlet Island has seen new apartment development in recent years and offers more affordable rents than Collegetown. It is best suited for students with reliable transportation, as the distance from campus makes walking impractical for daily use.
Common questions from students searching for housing.
Rents near Ithaca College are high relative to the local economy due to demand from both IC and Cornell students. A shared bedroom in a house or apartment in Collegetown or South Hill typically runs $700 to $1,100 per person per month. Units farther from campus in downtown Ithaca or the West End can be $100 to $200 cheaper per person, though commute costs and time should be factored in.
Other universities in Ithaca share a similar off-campus housing market.
Cornell University sits about 23,620 students on a hilltop above Ithaca, in New York's Finger Lakes, and the campus is famously dramatic: two deep gorges with waterfalls cut right through it, and Beebe Lake sits at the north edge. The land rises steeply from downtown, so getting to class means a climb, and the views…
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