Census-designated place · New York
South Hill, New York
South Hill, census-designated place, in Tompkins County, New York. South Hill had 6,951 people in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±634). GEOID 3669199.
Residents, 2020-2024
6,951
±634 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 7,245
Median household income
$104,211
±$29,581 (90% margin)
New York: $85,974
Median home value
$353,800
±$23,164 (90% margin)
New York: $423,800
Median gross rent
$1,991
±$241 (90% margin)
New York: $1,621
Where is South Hill and what county is it in?
South Hill is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Tompkins County, New York. It covers 5.9 square miles of land, 1,229 residents per square mile in 2020.
South Hill is in the Ithaca, NY metropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
South Hill lies entirely within the Town of Ithaca, a town with its own local government (2020 census blocks).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in South Hill, and is it growing?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts South Hill's population at 6,951 (±634). The 2020 Census counted 7,245 residents.
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; South Hill is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | South Hill | Tompkins County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 6,951 ±634 | 104,537 | no clear change |
| Households | 1,166 ±242 | 43,263 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.14 ±0.30 | 2.06 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,261 ±244 | 47,804 | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in South Hill?
The median resident of South Hill is 20.4 years old; 6.3% are under 18 and 7.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 50.5%, then non-Hispanic Asian residents at 21.1%. 13.4% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | South Hill | Tompkins County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 20.4 ±0.4 | 32.3 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 6.3% ±2.9 pts | 14.1% | – |
| 65 years and over | 7.3% ±2.3 pts | 16.3% | – |
| Male | 45.9% ±4.3 pts | 48.7% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 11.3% ±2.8 pts | 6.6% | +6.8 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 50.5% ±5.6 pts | 73.7% | −31.2 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 7.0% ±2.2 pts | 3.6% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 21.1% ±3.5 pts | 10.1% | +16.6 pts |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.4 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.9% ±1.9 pts | 4.7% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 4.9% ±4.3 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 13.4% ±2.7 pts | 12.9% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 31.0% ±4.2 pts | 17.4% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 0.7% ±0.7 pts | 3.6% | – |
| With a disability | 13.9% ±3.5 pts | 12.0% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 10.1% ±2.9 pts | 4.4% | +5.6 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 96.9% ±2.6 pts | 95.6% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 67.8% ±8.9 pts | 58.8% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 39.9% ±9.0 pts | 34.8% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 49.8% ±5.4 pts | 72.2% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 28.0% ±5.4 pts | 10.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in South Hill earn?
Half of South Hill's 1,166 households earn less than $104,211 a year (±$29,581), against $74,024 in Tompkins County and $85,974 in New York. In 2015-2019 it was $76,149 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 12.7% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | South Hill | Tompkins County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $104,211 ±$29,581 | $74,024 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $114,447 ±$19,431 | $102,718 | – |
| Per capita income | $19,925 ±$3,834 | $41,808 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 12.7% ±7.6 pts | 16.4% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 0.0% ±10.4 pts | 11.0% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 0.0% ±3.6 pts | 8.9% | – |
| Households with a computer | 91.9% ±8.7 pts | 96.6% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 90.2% ±7.4 pts | 90.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in South Hill?
Owners occupy 66.3% of South Hill's occupied homes and renters 33.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $353,800 by its owner (±$23,164). The median renter pays $1,991 a month including utilities, and 70.1% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | South Hill | Tompkins County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $353,800 ±$23,164 | $290,900 | +$70,863 |
| Median gross rent | $1,991 ±$241 | $1,411 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 70.1% ±22.3 pts | 49.0% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,408 ±$259 | $2,042 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 66.3% ±12.2 pts | 54.1% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 33.7% ±12.2 pts | 45.9% | – |
| Housing units | 1,261 ±244 | 47,804 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 6.6% ±10.0 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±10.2 pts | 2.8% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 60.2% ±11.5 pts | 50.1% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±3.3 pts | 7.6% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±3.3 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.9% ±3.4 pts | 8.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 3.1% ±3.8 pts | 25.9% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 14.7% ±8.7 pts | 14.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in South Hill work and get to work?
51.2% of South Hill's workers drive alone and 15.6% work from home. The average trip to work takes 17.8 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 4.4%.
| Measure | South Hill | Tompkins County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 38.4% ±5.8 pts | 58.4% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% ±2.2 pts | 5.5% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 51.2% ±8.9 pts | 51.7% | – |
| Carpooled | 6.6% ±7.7 pts | 9.3% | – |
| Public transportation | 2.7% ±1.9 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Walked | 21.6% ±5.2 pts | 11.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 15.6% ±6.9 pts | 20.0% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 17.8 min ±2.7 | 20.1 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in South Hill?
1 census tract lies mostly in South Hill, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in South Hill) · Census block assignment files
How does South Hill compare with other places in New York?
South Hill ranks 479th of 1,623 places in New York with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 493rd | 1,657 |
| Residents per square mile | 630th | 1,657 |
| Median household income | 479th | 1,623 |
| Per capita income | 1,625th | 1,653 |
| Median home value | 530th | 1,637 |
| Median gross rent | 282nd | 1,515 |
| Poverty rate | 459th | 1,331 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 102nd | 1,640 |
| Median age | 1,636th | 1,654 |
| Owner-occupied share | 1,273rd | 1,639 |
| Work from home | 431st | 1,350 |
| Travel time to work | 1,519th | 1,652 |
South Hill's figures with every place in New York (CSV)
Every place in New York, sortable · Compare South Hill with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for South Hill?
14 of the 57 figures for South Hill on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for South Hill are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.