City profile · New York · Census ACS 2023

Syracuse, NY

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Syracuse - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

146,211
Residents
$45,845
Median income
$125,100
Median home
$1,392
Median rent (state)

Syracuse - the verdict

Syracuse ranks in the 14th percentile for household income and the 4th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

14th
percentile, household income
19th
percentile, home value
54th
percentile, median rent
4th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Syracuse, NY

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 146,211 residents in Syracuse, a mid-sized U.S. city within New York. Median household income here is $45,845 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 24.2%. Typical homes in Syracuse are valued around $125,100, and the median resident age is 31.9 years. 30.5% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 52.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 290 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 2800% from five years earlier. Syracuse's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 4999.5 crimes per 100,000 residents, above the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

New York carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts New York at 107.9 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Above Average). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,392 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $285 across New York, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Commute times here average 16.0 minutes, with 59.5% driving alone and 10.5% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 91.3 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

146,211 residents

Census ACS 2023 - New York

Median Household Income

$45,845 /yr

Poverty 24.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

107.9 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, New York average

How does Syracuse compare to other US cities?

Syracuse measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 14% higher than other cities
Home value 19% pricier than other cities
Median rent 54% pricier than other cities
Safety 4% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at New York, Syracuse ranks #55 of 55 New York cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Syracuse's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in New York, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

14thIncome percentile
4thSafety percentile

14th percentile nationally for median household income · 4th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Syracuse's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Syracuse's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 27 Avg. percentile National median
Syracuse's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Syracuse's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$125,100 Among the most affordable more affordable than 81% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Syracuse $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Syracuse, NY Syracuse, NY's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Syracuse, NY-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Syracuse, NY median $45,845/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Syracuse, NY's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Syracuse, NY. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 30.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 24.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 52.8%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
146,211
Median Income
$45,845
Median Home Value
$125,100
Median Age
31.9
Poverty Rate
24.2%
Labor force participation
52.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
30.5%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
4999.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
765.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
4234.2
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
46
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
144,000 residents145,000 residents146,000 residents147,000 residents148,000 residents149,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 148,106 residents 144,896 residents ▼ -2.2%
Syracuse's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
290
housing units authorized
Single-Family
28
detached homes
Multifamily
262
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
2
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 10
2020 11
2021 19
2022 11
2023 20
2024 290

Permit volume increased 2800% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
16.0 minutes
Drive Alone
59.5%
Carpool
9.4%
Public Transit
6.5%
Walk
9.9%
Work from Home
10.5%
Other
4.2%

Based on 61,159 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for New York - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$130
avg/month
Natural Gas
$90
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$65
avg/month
Total Utilities
$285
estimated/month

Estimates reflect New York state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a New York state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Syracuse sits in

Cost of Living Index
107.9
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,392/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
91.3 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in New York

Albany
100,081 people
Yonkers
209,529 people
Rochester
209,720 people
New Rochelle
81,591 people
Cheektowaga
76,251 people
Mount Vernon
72,528 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Syracuse's 146,211 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Denton, TX
146,987 people
Savannah, GA
147,546 people
Rockford, IL
147,649 people
Bridgeport, CT
148,012 people
Pomona, CA
148,391 people
McAllen, TX
143,789 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Syracuse's $45,845 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Floydada, TX
$45,848 median income
Valdosta, GA
$45,849 median income
London, KY
$45,850 median income
Amite City, LA
$45,850 median income
Wadena, MN
$45,850 median income
Urbana, IL
$45,854 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Syracuse, NY Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Syracuse, NY - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 51.9% 27.6% 6.8% 9.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 10.3% White 51.9% Black or African American 27.6% Asian 6.8% American Indian 0.9% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 3.2% Two or more races 9.6% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Syracuse compares to nearby New York cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Syracuse (this city) 146,211 $45,845
Albany 100,081 $59,485
Yonkers 209,529 $81,816
Rochester 209,720 $46,628
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NY FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Syracuse, NY?

What is the population of Syracuse, NY? +

Syracuse, NY counts 146,211 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Syracuse, NY? +

The median household income in Syracuse is $45,845 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Syracuse? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Syracuse; the closest available measure is the New York state average, a cost of living index of 107.9 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within New York vary by metro area.

Is Syracuse, NY safe? +

Syracuse has a total crime rate of 4999.5 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Syracuse, NY? +

The median home value in Syracuse is $125,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.