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Cost of living, pay and housing

42.45° N · 76.44° W · GEOID 3676969

Varna

Tompkins County, New York · part of the Ithaca, NY metro

Limited data population under 5,000, core figures borrowed from county or metro: median_home_value

New YorkVarna, NYVarnaVarna

The short answer

Varna is home to 687 people. Median household income is $70,227 a year and median rent is $1,759 a month, 30.1% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). That is above the usual 30% line for cost burden. The median home is valued at $290,900, about 4.1x annual median household income.

Median gross rent
$1,759
29% above the median place
Median household income
$70,227
13% below the median place
Median home value
$290,900
9% below the median place
Unemployment
5.5%
13% above the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about Varna

  • Renters occupy 61% of homes, more than in 97% of the 2,476 places under 10,000 people we track.
  • Households average 1.92 people, smaller than in 96% of places its size.
  • The median resident is 28.9 years old, younger than in 96% of places its size.
  • The median rent takes 30.1% of the median household's income, a bigger share than in 95% of places its size.
  • Between the 2020 and 2024 surveys, rent rose 9% a year while household income rose 4.4%, so rent outran pay by more than in 87% of places its size.
01

Moving to Varna

Tompkins County loses about 12.8 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in4,420
Moved out5,267
Net−847

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

New York County, NY98222−124
Tioga County, NY126171−45
Schuyler County, NY76104−28

Within New York, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within New YorkOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$66K
Leavers$69K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Tompkins County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
19.4% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 10.8% from another state. County figure.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Tompkins County report $65,800 a year in income on average; those leaving, $69,000.
Income you would need
$70,400 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,759 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $2,042 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $290,900.
Getting to work
20 minutes each way on average; 20.0% work from home; 4.6% take transit.
If it is close but not quite
Burlington, VT matches it on character. Compare the two
Moved from another state1
10.8%
above the median place (median 2.0%)
Moved here in the past year1
19.4%
238% above the median place
Net movers per 1,000 people7
-12.8
below the median place (median -0.6)
All 5 moving measures
MeasureVarnaAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year1County figure19.4%238% above
Moved from another state1County figure10.8%above (median 2.0%)
Net movers per 1,000 people7County figure-12.8below (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in7County figure$65,8187% below
Income of households moving out7County figure$69,0102% below
02

What it costs to live here

Homeownership is 38.5%, 42% below the median place.

Varna30.1%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$70,360
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
30.1%
48% above the median place
Home price to income
4.1x
9% above the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
30%
over the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$49,800
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Varna, $1,759 a month, and local prices for everything else (98.2 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Varna.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Varna? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Homeownership1
38.5%
42% below the median place
Renters paying 30%+1
61.5%
22% above the median place
Property tax rate1
1.6%
79% above the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureVarnaAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,75929% above
Rent to income130.1%48% above
Property tax rate11.6%79% above
Home price to income14.1x9% above
Prices vs US average2Metro figure103.32% above
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,7096% above
HUD area median income4County figure$118,00010% above
Property tax paid (median)1$4,75046% above
Median home value1County figure$290,9009% below
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure6.7%111% above
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure56.0%9% above
Homeownership138.5%42% below
Renters paying 30%+161.5%22% above
Owner costs with a mortgage1County figure$2,0429% above
Vacant homes1County figure9.5%35% above
Median year built119881% above
03

Work and pay

Poverty rate is 25.2%, 134% above the median place.

Poverty rate1
25.2%
134% above the median place
Income per person1
$48,730
22% above the median place
Median household income1
$70,227
13% below the median place
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureVarnaAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$70,22713% below
Income per person1$48,73022% above
Unemployment1County figure5.5%13% above
Average annual pay6County figure$72,1529% above
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure3.4%8% below
Jobs6County figure47,71168% below
Poverty rate125.2%134% above
Mean commute1County figure20 min19% below
Works from home1County figure20.0%61% above
Commutes by transit1County figure4.6%above (median 0.8%)
04

Who lives here

Household size is 1.9, 23% below the median place.

Household size1
1.9
23% below the median place
Median age1
28.9
26% below the median place
Homes with broadband1
97.8%
6% above the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

Bachelor's or higher63.8% +99%
Born abroad10.3% +17%
High school or higher93.2% +1%
All 8 people measures
MeasureVarnaAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population16876646th largest
Median age128.926% below
Bachelor's or higher163.8%99% above
High school or higher193.2%1% above
Household size11.923% below
Born abroad110.3%17% above
No health insurance1County figure4.4%31% below
Homes with broadband197.8%6% above
05

Life in Varna

67 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places, one of them a National Historic Landmark.

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars22.6 +9%
Shops27.6 −9%
Arts, recreation and fitness5.5 +34%
Doctors' offices and clinics18.0 −11%
Child care centers4.4 +91%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Students per teacher10
9.6
38% below the median place
Child care centers per 10k8
4.4
91% above the median place
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8
5.5
34% above the median place
All 9 schools and local life measures
MeasureVarnaAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools10County figure33267% above
Public school students10County figure10,392112% above
Students per teacher10County figure9.638% below
Restaurants and bars per 10k8County figure22.69% above
Shops per 10k8County figure27.69% below
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8County figure5.534% above
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k8County figure18.011% below
Child care centers per 10k8County figure4.491% above
National Register listings9County figure67above (median 13)
06

Safety, weather and risk

Good air days is 93.2%, 36% above the median place.

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached Varna. Larger places are fetched first.

Good air days13
93.2%
36% above the median place
July average high11
80°F
8% below the median place
Average temperature11
47°F
15% below the median place
All 11 weather and risk measures
MeasureVarnaAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high11County figure80°F8% below
January average low11County figure15°F40% below
Average temperature11County figure47°F15% below
Annual precipitation11County figure39.9 in9% below
Natural hazard risk12County figure73.920% below
Hurricane risk12County figure64.59% below
Tornado risk12County figure59.028% below
Wildfire risk12County figure22.264% below
Heat wave risk12County figure47.947% below
Median air quality index13County figure3519% below
Good air days13County figure93.2%36% above
08

Varna in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 31% of the median income in 2030, up from 30% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,759/mo (2024)$2,280/mo$1,870 to $2,780/mo+4.5%
Median household income$70,227 (2024)$88,500$75,000 to $105,000+4.0%

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Varna

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Burlington, VT$1,649$71,109Compare
Madison, WI$1,413$78,050Compare
Winooski, VT$1,643$79,522Compare
University Heights, OH$1,507$96,971Compare
University Heights, OHWinooski, VTMadison, WIBurlington, VTVarna, NYVarnaBurlingtonMadisonWinooskiUniversity HeightsVarnaBurlingtonMadisonWinooskiUniversity Heights

Common questions

Is Varna a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Renters occupy 61% of homes, more than in 97% of the 2,476 places under 10,000 people we track. Households average 1.92 people, smaller than in 96% of places its size. On cost, space and class size it scores 0 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Varna expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 30.1% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a heavier load here than usual. The median home is valued at $290,900.

What salary do you need to live in Varna?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $70,360 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to Varna?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Burlington, VT, Madison, WI, Winooski, VT and University Heights, OH.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  5. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  6. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  7. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  8. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  9. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  10. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  11. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  12. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  13. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Varna with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Varna itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/varna-new-york

Citytistics. “Varna, New York.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/varna-new-york/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.