2025 Compare Cities Rankings:
Ithaca, NY vs Costa Mesa, CA

#1 Emerging Metropolitan Areas

#1 Most Secure Places to Live 2011 (Small Towns)

#2 Best Green Cities

#3 Most Secure Places to Live in the U.S. (Small Towns)

#22 Most Competitive Private Colleges

#2 Most Comfortable Summer Cities

#2 Top 10 Cities to Beat the Heat

#43 Best Cities for Board Gamers

#47 Gloomiest Places in America

#50 America's Top Hygge Cities

For a small city, its downtown has grown significantly and serves as the hub of the community. The Ithaca Commons remains the central gathering space for locals,  More

Great place to live. Lots to do, vibrant culture, and beautiful scenery. Don't fear the winter--it's even beautiful then. Only complaint is the housing market. Way  More

I was born, raised, educated there (Ithaca High and Cornell). In my opinion, before leaving to pursue my career, it seemed like the most beautiful, clean, low crime,  More

Costa mesa has awesome shopping but is way too crowded and I have had 3 cars stolen in the past 5 years along with countless break-ins and theft. Expensive. Close to  More

Costa Mesa has a near perfect climate . . . plenty of sun but rarely over 100 degrees (our house doesn't even have AC). Nestled between Newport Beach and Huntington  More

We have a good amount of low-income, medium-income, and relatively high-income  More