Rochester vs Syracuse
Rochester, 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.
Rochester and Syracuse score about the same overall (43 vs 40 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Rochester | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $44k | $44k |
| Cost of Living | $52k | $51k |
| Home Value | $111k | $118k |
| Monthly Rent | $995 | $932 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.67% | 2.61% |
| Income Tax | 10.90% | 10.90% |
| Sales Tax | 8.53% | 8.53% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 20.45% | 20.79% |
| Unemployment | 8.5% | 8.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 26°F | 24°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 72°F | 71°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 35.1 in | 43.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 102.0 in | 127.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 152 days | 197 days |
| Summer Humidity | 61°F | 59°F |
| Comfortable Days | 95 days | 89 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 2.3 | 45.6 |
| Air Quality | 49 AQI | 46 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 3084/100k | 2739/100k |
| Property Crime | 3613/100k | 3051/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 210,992 | 146,134 |
| Median Age | 32.9 | 31.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.66 | 0.63 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.93 | 0.93 |
| Political Leaning | D+22 | D+21 |
| White (%) | 36.3% | 49.2% |
| Black (%) | 35.7% | 27.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 19.7% | 9.9% |
| Asian (%) | 3.5% | 6.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.8% | 6.8% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 19 min | 18 min |
| Walkability | 13.0/20 | 16.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 5 mi | 78 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 83.0% | 80.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 25.02 | 26.69 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | 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 Rochester or Syracuse more affordable?
- Syracuse has the lower cost of living: its index is $51k, compared with Rochester's $52k and Syracuse's $51k. Median rent is $995 in Rochester versus $932 in Syracuse.
- Is Rochester or Syracuse safer?
- Syracuse has the lower violent crime rate. Rochester reports 3084/100k and Syracuse reports 2739/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Rochester or Syracuse?
- The median home value is $111k in Rochester and $118k in Syracuse, so homes are more affordable in Rochester.