City · New York
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse, city, in Onondaga County, New York. Syracuse had 144,896 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 2.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 148,620 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 146,384 (±135). GEOID 3673000.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
144,896
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 148,620 · ACS 2020-2024: 146,384 ±135
Median household income
$47,819
±$2,145 (90% margin)
New York: $85,974
Median home value
$138,400
±$5,158 (90% margin)
New York: $423,800
Median gross rent
$1,039
±$20 (90% margin)
New York: $1,621
Where is Syracuse and what county is it in?
Syracuse is a city in Onondaga County, New York. It covers 25.1 square miles of land, 5,931 residents per square mile in 2020.
Syracuse is in the Syracuse, NY metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 3 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Syracuse, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 144,896 people lived in Syracuse on July 1, 2025, down 2.5% since 2020, a steeper fall than New York's (−1.0%). The 2020 Census counted 148,620 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 146,384 (±135).
| Measure | Syracuse | Onondaga County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 146,384 ±135 | 471,129 | +3,510 |
| Households | 59,816 ±842 | 197,760 | +4,541 |
| Average household size | 2.14 ±0.03 | 2.26 | −0.17 |
| Housing units | 67,601 ±810 | 212,002 | no clear change |
Syracuse's population since 2000
From 147,306 in 2000 to 144,896 in 2025: down 1.6%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Syracuse as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
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 Syracuse?
The median resident of Syracuse is 31.8 years old; 20.5% are under 18 and 14.4% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 49.0%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 25.7%. 12.7% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Syracuse | Onondaga County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.8 ±0.4 | 39.6 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 20.5% ±0.6 pts | 20.9% | – |
| 65 years and over | 14.4% ±0.5 pts | 18.7% | – |
| Male | 48.3% ±0.6 pts | 48.6% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 10.2% ±0.6 pts | 5.9% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 49.0% ±0.9 pts | 73.8% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 25.7% ±1.0 pts | 10.2% | −2.8 pts |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 7.2% ±0.5 pts | 4.1% | +0.7 pts |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.1 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 6.6% ±0.8 pts | 5.2% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.8% ±0.3 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 12.7% ±1.1 pts | 7.9% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 19.2% ±1.4 pts | 11.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.4% ±0.4 pts | 5.5% | – |
| With a disability | 16.8% ±0.7 pts | 14.0% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 5.0% ±0.5 pts | 3.3% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 85.3% ±0.9 pts | 91.8% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 31.2% ±1.1 pts | 39.2% | +2.8 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 13.8% ±0.9 pts | 17.6% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 77.5% ±1.2 pts | 86.4% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 5.1% ±0.5 pts | 2.6% | – |
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 Syracuse earn?
Half of Syracuse's 59,816 households earn less than $47,819 a year (±$2,145), against $76,945 in Onondaga County and $85,974 in New York. In 2015-2019 it was $47,106 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 28.8% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Syracuse | Onondaga County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $47,819 ±$2,145 | $76,945 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $67,230 ±$2,291 | $102,088 | – |
| Per capita income | $28,393 ±$955 | $43,166 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 28.8% ±1.5 pts | 13.8% | −2.2 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 44.0% ±3.3 pts | 20.6% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 28.0% ±1.4 pts | 14.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 92.8% ±0.8 pts | 95.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 88.1% ±1.1 pts | 91.6% | – |
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 Syracuse?
Owners occupy 41.6% of Syracuse's occupied homes and renters 58.4%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $138,400 by its owner (±$5,158). The median renter pays $1,039 a month including utilities, and 46.0% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Syracuse | Onondaga County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $138,400 ±$5,158 | $200,200 | +$22,223 |
| Median gross rent | $1,039 ±$20 | $1,108 | +$37 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 46.0% ±2.8 pts | 41.4% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,238 ±$36 | $1,641 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 41.6% ±1.6 pts | 65.9% | +2.7 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 58.4% ±1.6 pts | 34.1% | – |
| Housing units | 67,601 ±810 | 212,002 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 2.1% ±0.8 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 5.0% ±0.9 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 41.4% ±1.4 pts | 63.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.3% ±0.1 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.4% ±0.2 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.5% ±0.5 pts | 4.9% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 43.1% ±1.4 pts | 22.6% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 25.7% ±1.5 pts | 12.0% | – |
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 many new homes is Syracuse building?
Builders took permits for 1,160 new housing units in Syracuse in 2025 (10 in single-family houses), 8.0 per 1,000 residents against 1.9 across New York.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Syracuse work and get to work?
58.5% of Syracuse's workers drive alone and 12.0% work from home. The average trip to work takes 18.0 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 7.7%.
| Measure | Syracuse | Onondaga County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 56.9% ±1.0 pts | 62.4% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 7.7% ±0.9 pts | 5.2% | −1.6 pts |
| Drove alone to work | 58.5% ±1.8 pts | 71.7% | – |
| Carpooled | 9.7% ±1.2 pts | 7.6% | – |
| Public transportation | 6.3% ±0.9 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Walked | 9.3% ±1.2 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Worked from home | 12.0% ±1.0 pts | 13.1% | +7.9 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 18.0 min ±0.7 | 20.2 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 Syracuse?
55 census tracts lie mostly in Syracuse, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $17,765 (Tract 42) to $98,403 (Tract 9).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 43.02Onondaga County | 8,028 | $19,741 |
| Tract 56.02Onondaga County | 5,225 | $21,741 |
| Tract 61.01Onondaga County | 4,954 | $28,750 |
| Tract 46Onondaga County | 4,437 | $91,451 |
| Tract 19Onondaga County | 4,336 | $63,398 |
| Tract 4Onondaga County | 4,042 | $66,250 |
| Tract 10Onondaga County | 3,593 | $53,417 |
| Tract 2Onondaga County | 3,511 | $51,848 |
| Tract 39Onondaga County | 3,444 | $20,456 |
| Tract 60Onondaga County | 3,435 | $53,614 |
| Tract 9Onondaga County | 3,423 | $98,403 |
| Tract 32Onondaga County | 3,315 | $57,371 |
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 Syracuse) · Census block assignment files
How does Syracuse compare with other places in New York?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Syracuse is the 196th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 5th-most populous of 594 in New York.
Syracuse ranks 1,577th 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, July 2025 estimate | 5th | 594 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 934th | 1,225 |
| Residents per square mile | 110th | 1,657 |
| Median household income | 1,577th | 1,623 |
| Per capita income | 1,542nd | 1,653 |
| Median home value | 1,372nd | 1,637 |
| Median gross rent | 870th | 1,515 |
| Poverty rate | 42nd | 1,331 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 859th | 1,640 |
| Median age | 1,567th | 1,654 |
| Owner-occupied share | 1,595th | 1,639 |
| Work from home | 721st | 1,350 |
| Travel time to work | 1,509th | 1,652 |
Syracuse's figures with every place in New York (CSV)
Every place in New York, sortable · Compare Syracuse 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 Syracuse?
1 of the 57 figures for Syracuse on this page carries a coefficient of variation over 40% and is 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 Syracuse 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' public schools in Syracuse.