Tompkins County and Ithaca are located in the central Finger Lakes Region of New York State, four hours from New York City, three hours from Niagara Falls, two hours from Rochester and four hours from Philadelphia, PA. The Finger Lakes Region of New York is made up of 14 counties, which occupy 9,000 square miles of the state. Tompkins County measures 476 square miles. Ithaca sits at the southern tip of Cayuga Lake, the longest of the 11 Finger Lakes. Home to Cornell University and Ithaca College, Tompkins County and Ithaca exemplify the small-town atmosphere, while showcasing the qualities of a larger metropolitan city. Moreover, the climate of Tompkins County provides for a variety of outdoor activities ranging from boating, swimming and hiking in summer, to cross-country skiing and ice-skating in winter. “Ithaca is gorges” has become the indelible adage that aptly describes the Ithaca area, which has been blessed with deep cut gorges and spectacular waterfalls.
Tompkins County Quick Geography & Weather Facts
- Land area – 476.1 square miles (2000 census)
- Persons per square mile – 213 (2000 census)
- Connecticut Hill – Highest point in Tompkins County (2,099 ft. above sea level)
- Cayuga Lake – Lowest point in Tompkins County (382 ft. above sea level)
- Average high temperature in January – 32 degrees F.
- Average high temperature in July – 78 degrees F.
- Average yearly rainfall – 35.4 inches
- Average yearly snowfall – 67.3 inches
- Source: Northeast Regional Climate Center
DID YOU KNOW...
- Tompkins County is home to three gorge parks (there are only six in the entire state of New York).
- Ithaca is host to over 150 waterfalls, all of which lie within a 10-mile radius of downtown.
- Taughannock Falls (pictured below) is 215 feet high, a greater vertical drop than Niagara Falls.
- An avid boater can sail from the open ocean through the locks of the New York State Erie Canal, down Cayuga Lake to Ithaca.
- With over 128 species of fish in the Finger Lakes Region, it’s not surprising that Cayuga Lake was selected one of the top 10 bass-fishing lakes by Sports Afield Magazine.
- The Sagan Planet Walk, built to honor the memory of Ithaca resident and Cornell University astronomer, Carl Sagan, is a true-to-scale model of our solar system. It is one of the only walkable “planet walks” in the world. The Sciencenter, Ithaca’s hands-on museum and outdoor science playground, is the sponsor of the Sagan Planet Walk, and is one of eight museums involved in the partnership of educational attractions called the Discovery Trail. Some others include the Museum of the Earth and Cornell’s Laboratory of Ornithology.
- Ithaca ranked 17 nationwide among the “Best Places for Business and Careers,” Forbes magazine, April 2006.
- Ithaca offers more restaurants per capita than New York City. The famous Moosewood Restaurant is located in Ithaca, and two of its famous cookbooks that present recipes for scrumptious vegetarian meals have won James Beard Awards in the healthy focus and vegetarian categories.
- The downtown Ithaca Commons was named one of New York’s top design projects of the century by the state chapter of the American Institute of Architects.
- Ithaca Hours, our local paper currency, has been featured in over 400 media venues nationally and internationally. The currency exchange has set standards worldwide and brings important visitors to Ithaca, such as Madame Mitterand (former First Lady of France) and community development specialists from every continent.
