Ithaca vs Syracuse
Ithaca, New York versus Syracuse, New York: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Ithaca and Syracuse score about the same overall (39 vs 40 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Ithaca | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $45k | $44k |
| Cost of Living | $63k | $51k |
| Home Value | $324k | $118k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $932 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.58% | 2.61% |
| Income Tax | 10.90% | 10.90% |
| Sales Tax | 8.53% | 8.53% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 32.09% | 20.79% |
| Unemployment | 5.9% | 8.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 23°F | 24°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 68°F | 71°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 38.3 in | 43.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 62.9 in | 127.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 203 days | 197 days |
| Summer Humidity | 60°F | 59°F |
| Comfortable Days | 76 days | 89 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 50.0 | 45.6 |
| Air Quality | 43 AQI | 46 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 1507/100k | 2739/100k |
| Property Crime | 3772/100k | 3051/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 31,359 | 146,134 |
| Median Age | 22.8 | 31.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.52 | 0.63 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.01 | 0.93 |
| Political Leaning | D+50 | D+21 |
| White (%) | 63.9% | 49.2% |
| Black (%) | 4.9% | 27.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 8.0% | 9.9% |
| Asian (%) | 15.6% | 6.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 7.5% | 6.8% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 18 min | 18 min |
| Walkability | 10.3/20 | 16.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 76 mi | 78 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 85.6% | 80.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 73.66 | 26.69 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Ithaca or Syracuse more affordable?
- Syracuse has the lower cost of living: its index is $51k, compared with Ithaca's $63k and Syracuse's $51k. Median rent is $1k in Ithaca versus $932 in Syracuse.
- Is Ithaca or Syracuse safer?
- Ithaca has the lower violent crime rate. Ithaca reports 1507/100k and Syracuse reports 2739/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Ithaca or Syracuse?
- The median home value is $324k in Ithaca and $118k in Syracuse, so homes are more affordable in Syracuse.