TOMPKINS COUNTY is one of the most beautiful and livable areas in the entire United States. The County, with a population of 105,500 (2016 est.), is located in the beautiful Finger Lakes Region of upstate New York. Tompkins County is situated at the southern tip of majestic Cayuga Lake in an area of dramatic gorges and waterfalls. The people of Tompkins County are welcoming, civically engaged and diverse.
Form of Government
Tompkins County is governed under home rule, which provides for the separation of the Legislative and Executive Branches of government. The Tompkins County Charter was approved in 1968 and took effect in 1970. The County has a Legislature-Administrator form of government where a 14-member legislature elected from single member districts appoints a County Administrator who oversees and coordinates the operations of county government to successfully carry out the policies of the County Legislature. Legislators are elected to four-year terms. Other elected officials include the District Attorney, Sheriff, and County Clerk.
The Community
The County offers a vibrant city center, quaint villages and hamlets, forested hillsides, rolling farm land, over 26,000 acres of State Forests and Wildlife Management Areas, and nearly 3,000 acres of State Parks. Ithaca is our county seat, with a population of 30,750 (2016 est.) Ithaca has a small-town atmosphere yet showcases qualities of a much larger city through an abundance of restaurants, theaters, arts, shopping, cultural activities, and community festivals and events. Ithaca was named in the Top 100 Best Places to Live, by Livability.com (2018), #2 Best Small College Town by USA Today (2016), and Healthiest City in New York State by 24/7 Wall Street (2015). The County is the employment center for the region with a strong human services sector, a local medical center, and a robust public transit system. Tompkins County’s economy is diverse and the three institutions of higher learning – Cornell University, Ithaca College, and Tompkins-Cortland Community College (TC3) – make education our top economic contributor. The Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport greets over 200,000 passengers annually and generates over $30 million for the local economy while serving as a major international gateway to Cornell, Ithaca College, TC3 and other major employers in the region.