The Big Picture

People move to the Finger Lakes for specific reasons: lower cost of living compared to major metro areas, access to outdoor recreation, a strong local food and drink culture, and a pace of life that allows for a garden, a porch, and knowing your neighbors. These are real advantages. But moving here also means accepting trade-offs that promotional materials tend to gloss over: limited job diversity outside a few sectors, rural internet dead zones, winters that test your patience, and a distance from major airports and cities that makes certain types of careers harder to sustain.

This guide is written for people seriously considering a move — not to sell the region, but to give you honest, practical information so you can make a clear-eyed decision.

Cost of Living

The Finger Lakes’ cost of living runs 10-20% below the national average, depending on where exactly you settle. Housing is the main driver: median home prices in most Finger Lakes counties range from $150,000 to $250,000, compared to the national median of roughly $400,000. Property taxes, however, are a critical caveat — New York State has some of the highest property tax rates in the country. In Tompkins County (Ithaca), the combined county, town, and school tax rate can push effective property tax above 2.5% of assessed value. In more rural counties (Schuyler, Yates, Steuben), rates are lower but still above the national average.

Groceries are roughly at the national average. Gas prices tend to run $0.10-$0.30 above the national average. Utility costs are moderate — natural gas is widely available for heating, and electric rates are lower than the Northeast average due to hydroelectric generation. Heating costs are a significant line item: plan on five to six months of heating, with December through February being the most expensive.

Housing by Area

• Ithaca: The most expensive housing market in the Finger Lakes, driven by Cornell University and a limited housing supply in a hilly geography. Median home price in the city: $300,000-$375,000. Surrounding towns (Lansing, Dryden, Trumansburg) are lower, typically $225,000-$300,000. Rental market is tight, especially during the academic year. A one-bedroom apartment in Ithaca runs $1,200-$1,600/month.
• Geneva: More affordable than Ithaca, with a revitalizing downtown. Median home price: $175,000-$250,000. Good value for proximity to Seneca Lake and the wine trails.
• Canandaigua: Attractive downtown, lake access, proximity to Rochester (30 minutes). Median home price: $200,000-$275,000. The lakefront is more expensive; in-town and surrounding areas are reasonable.
• Corning: Anchored by Corning Incorporated (the glass and fiber optics company). Median home price: $175,000-$225,000. The historic Market Street district is well-maintained. Proximity to Watkins Glen and Keuka Lake.
• Penn Yan: Small-town feel on Keuka Lake. Median home price: $150,000-$200,000. More rural, less infrastructure. Good value for lake proximity.
• Skaneateles: The most affluent town in the region. Lakefront properties routinely sell for $1 million+. Even modest homes in the village are $350,000-$500,000. Beautiful, but priced accordingly.
• Rural areas: Outside the towns, farmhouses and rural properties on 1-5 acres are available from $100,000-$200,000. These properties may lack municipal water and sewer (well and septic required), may have limited internet, and may be on unpaved roads.

Employment and Economy

The Finger Lakes economy is diversified but not deep. If you are relocating with remote work, the region is an excellent base (with connectivity caveats discussed below). If you need a local job, the options cluster around a few major sectors.

Major Employers

• Cornell University (Ithaca): The largest employer in the region by a wide margin, with roughly 10,000 employees. Jobs range from academic positions to facilities, administration, healthcare (Cayuga Medical Center is affiliated), and research. Cornell drives Ithaca’s economy, which is both a strength (stable, recession-resistant) and a vulnerability (town-gown dynamics, high cost of living relative to wages for non-university workers).
• Healthcare: The major hospital systems — Cayuga Health (Ithaca), Geneva General Hospital (Finger Lakes Health), Thompson Health (Canandaigua), Arnot Ogden Medical Center (Elmira), and Guthrie Corning Hospital — are significant employers. Nursing, allied health, and clinical positions are consistently in demand.
• Corning Incorporated: Headquartered in Corning, this Fortune 500 company employs thousands in the region in manufacturing, research and development, and corporate roles. Corning is a glass and materials science company — if you have engineering or technical skills, this is a major opportunity.
• Agriculture and wine: The wine industry supports several thousand jobs directly (vineyards, wineries, tasting rooms) and many more indirectly (hospitality, tourism). Farm work is seasonal and often low-paid. Vineyard management, winemaking, and tasting room management positions offer better compensation but are limited in number.
• Manufacturing: Pockets of manufacturing remain, particularly around Corning and in the southern tier. Wages are moderate. These jobs have declined from their mid-20th-century peak but have not disappeared.
• Tourism and hospitality: Hotels, restaurants, and tourism services employ many people, but wages are often low and the work is highly seasonal. Year-round positions in management and marketing exist at larger operations.

Remote Work

Remote work has changed the calculus for the Finger Lakes. If you earn a city salary and spend it in a Finger Lakes town, your purchasing power increases dramatically. The region actively markets itself to remote workers, and co-working spaces have opened in Ithaca, Geneva, and Canandaigua. The challenge is connectivity (see below).

Schools

School quality varies significantly by district. New York State provides detailed report cards for every school district at data.nysed.gov.

• Ithaca City School District: The strongest overall district in the region, benefiting from the Cornell community. Ithaca High School offers Advanced Placement courses across disciplines, strong arts and music programs, and competitive athletics. Graduation rate above 90%.
• Skaneateles Central School District: Consistently ranked among the top public school districts in New York State. Small class sizes, high test scores, strong community support. This is a major reason families choose Skaneateles despite the higher housing costs.
• Canandaigua City School District: Solid suburban-style district with a range of AP courses and extracurricular activities. Graduation rate above 90%.
• Corning-Painted Post: Benefits from Corning Inc. tax base. Good facilities, strong STEM offerings.
• Smaller rural districts (Dundee, Penn Yan, Watkins Glen, Trumansburg): These districts are small, with correspondingly smaller course offerings — fewer AP classes, fewer extracurricular options. Class sizes are small, which some families view as an advantage. Community involvement in sports and activities is high. Budgets are tighter than in wealthier districts.

Connectivity and Internet

This is the issue that surprises many newcomers. In the towns — Ithaca, Geneva, Canandaigua, Corning — broadband internet is available from cable providers (Spectrum is the dominant ISP) and delivers speeds adequate for remote work and streaming. In rural areas between the towns, connectivity degrades rapidly. DSL may be the only wired option, with speeds of 5-15 Mbps — functional for email and basic browsing but inadequate for video calls, cloud-based work, or streaming.

Starlink (SpaceX’s satellite internet service) has become the de facto solution for rural Finger Lakes residents, offering 50-200 Mbps speeds with a $120/month subscription and a one-time $599 equipment fee. If you are considering a rural property and plan to work remotely, test the internet before buying. Do not rely on listings or coverage maps — physically go to the property and test.

Cell coverage follows a similar pattern: reliable along lake shores and major highways, spotty to nonexistent in valleys and hollows between the lakes. Verizon has the strongest coverage; T-Mobile and AT&T have gaps in rural areas.

Getting Around: Commute Times and Transportation

You will need a car. Public transit exists in Ithaca (TCAT buses) and is functional for getting around the city and to Cornell. Everywhere else, a car is essential. There is no regional public transit connecting Finger Lakes towns.

Drive Times Between Major Towns

• Ithaca to Watkins Glen: 40 minutes
• Ithaca to Geneva: 50 minutes
• Ithaca to Corning: 45 minutes
• Geneva to Canandaigua: 25 minutes
• Geneva to Penn Yan: 30 minutes
• Canandaigua to Rochester: 30 minutes
• Ithaca to Syracuse: 1 hour
• Ithaca to Rochester: 1.5 hours
• Corning to Elmira: 20 minutes

Airports

• Ithaca Tompkins International Airport (ITH): Small regional airport with limited flights, primarily to Newark, Philadelphia, and Detroit. Useful for connecting flights but expensive for direct booking.
• Greater Rochester International Airport (ROC): The closest major airport for the western Finger Lakes. Direct flights to major hubs. 30 minutes from Canandaigua, 1.5 hours from Ithaca.
• Syracuse Hancock International Airport (SYR): Similar to Rochester in scale. 1 hour from Ithaca, 1.5 hours from Geneva.
• Elmira Corning Regional Airport (ELM): Small airport with limited service, primarily to Detroit and Philadelphia.

The Four-Season Trade-Off

People who love the Finger Lakes love all four seasons. People who leave often cite winter as the reason. Here is an honest assessment:

• Spring (April-May): Mud season transitions into green. Waterfalls are at peak flow. Gardens go in mid-May. The region wakes up but remains cool — 40s and 50s through April, warming into the 60s and 70s by late May.
• Summer (June-August): Warm, not hot. Typical highs in the upper 70s to mid-80s. Humidity is lower than coastal areas. Lake swimming from late June through August. This is peak tourist season. Long days, outdoor dining, farm stands everywhere.
• Fall (September-November): The best season. Grape and apple harvest. Peak foliage mid-October. Clear, cool air. Farmers’ markets overflow. This is when the Finger Lakes is at its most beautiful.
• Winter (December-March): The hard truth: winters are gray, cold, and long. The region averages 65-90 inches of snow per year depending on location. Lake-effect snow is real. Overcast skies from November through March are common — the Rochester-Syracuse corridor is one of the cloudiest regions in the United States. Seasonal affective disorder is a legitimate concern. If you thrive in cold weather and embrace winter sports, you will be fine. If you need sunshine, this will wear on you.

Community and Culture

The Finger Lakes is not one community — it is dozens of small communities, each with its own character. Ithaca is progressive, university-driven, and culturally rich (live music, independent cinema, a food co-op, activist culture). Geneva is undergoing a revitalization, attracting young entrepreneurs and foodies. Canandaigua has an established, family-oriented feel. The small wine country towns (Hammondsport, Dundee, Penn Yan) are tight-knit agricultural communities where relationships build slowly. Skaneateles is affluent and traditional.

What they share: a locavore ethic, a connection to the land, and a reservoir of civic volunteerism that keeps small-town institutions — libraries, fire departments, community gardens, trail maintenance — functioning despite limited tax bases. If you show up and participate, you will be welcomed. If you expect amenities to appear without effort, you will be disappointed.

The Bottom Line

Moving to the Finger Lakes is a lifestyle decision more than a financial one. The economics work, especially if you bring remote income. The natural beauty is genuine, not manufactured. The food and drink culture is exceptional for a rural area. The community is real. But the winters are serious, the internet situation requires homework, the job market is narrow, and the nearest major city is at least an hour away. Visit in February before you commit. If you still want to move here after a week of 15-degree days and gray skies, you will do well.