Syracuse vs Utica
Syracuse, New York versus Utica, New York: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Syracuse and Utica score about the same overall (40 vs 42 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Syracuse | Utica |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $44k | $48k |
| Cost of Living | $51k | $50k |
| Home Value | $118k | $124k |
| Monthly Rent | $932 | $873 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.61% | 2.48% |
| Income Tax | 10.90% | 10.90% |
| Sales Tax | 8.53% | 8.53% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 20.79% | 20.10% |
| Unemployment | 8.6% | 7.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 24°F | 22°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 71°F | 70°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.4 in | 48.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 127.8 in | 164.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 197 days | 187 days |
| Summer Humidity | 59°F | 60°F |
| Comfortable Days | 89 days | 83 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 45.6 | 5.9 |
| Air Quality | 46 AQI | 41 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 87.8 |
| Violent Crime | 2739/100k | 2859/100k |
| Property Crime | 3051/100k | 3422/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 146,134 | 64,728 |
| Median Age | 31.9 | 34.5 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.63 | 0.61 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.93 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | D+21 | R+16 |
| White (%) | 49.2% | 54.4% |
| Black (%) | 27.2% | 15.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 9.9% | 13.7% |
| Asian (%) | 6.9% | 11.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 6.8% | 5.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 18 min | 18 min |
| Walkability | 16.0/20 | 14.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 78 mi | 123 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 80.0% | 84.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 26.69 | 23.48 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Good |
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 Syracuse or Utica more affordable?
- Utica has the lower cost of living: its index is $50k, compared with Syracuse's $51k and Utica's $50k. Median rent is $932 in Syracuse versus $873 in Utica.
- Is Syracuse or Utica safer?
- Syracuse has the lower violent crime rate. Syracuse reports 2739/100k and Utica reports 2859/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Syracuse or Utica?
- The median home value is $118k in Syracuse and $124k in Utica, so homes are more affordable in Syracuse.