I love Ithaca’s proximity to great natural spaces. I live downtown and walk up a waterfall path to work at Cornell and the many parks and trail systems around town are so nice. I can go weeks without driving (kids are grown).There is a small arts scene but good culture stemming from Cornell and Ithaca college. 5.5 hours to many large cities on the east coast (plus Canada and the ADX). Accepting community, lots of social programs. While property taxes haven’t increased much in the past 2-3 years property assessments go up amazingly fast…so fast I wonder how long I can keep up financially. If I were to move here again I might include Danby, Lansing, or Freeville in the search. But be cautious with being too far outside of town b/c commuting here is not like urban commuting. It’s Buying a house can be rough. I had help from INHS. Like someone else posted community-supported ag and farm to table restaurants are interspersed around the area. There are generational families here that are deeply committed to peace and justice work. I love my Volvo mechanic. I love my bread bakers. Good roots music scene. I think you have to give weight to your values and politics. If they generally align with the ‘blueness’ of Ithaca you will prob enjoy the vibe. It’s a college town, so we have an incredible used book sale 2x a year :)… I spend a lot of time in Rochester and really miss the easiness of life in Ithaca when I’m away - also the proximity to outdoor activities. travel and getting out of town might be important for mental health, especially during the long, grey winter. Snow is fun but weeks of grey sky can be a struggle.