Compare towns
Buffalo vs Syracuse vs Yonkers
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Buffalo has the most kids (22.3% under 18).
Syracuse has the most affordable homes ($138k median).
Yonkers has the most expensive homes ($502k median).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Buffalo | Syracuse | Yonkers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 276,854Highest |
146,384Lowest |
209,978 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% NY: +4.2% |
+2.4%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+8%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 34.3±0.5 14% below NY |
31.8±0.4Lowest 20% below NY |
39.9±0.8Highest about the NY average |
| Kids under 18 | 22.3%±0.6Highest NY: 20.5% |
20.5%±0.7 NY: 20.5% |
19.6%±0.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Age 65+ | 14.2%±0.5Lowest NY: 17.9% |
14.4%±0.6 NY: 17.9% |
17.6%±0.7Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.2%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
31.2%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
35.7%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.5%±0.5 NY: 7% |
16.8%±0.8Highest NY: 7% |
7.1%±0.5Lowest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $50,041±$2k 42% below NY |
$47,819±$2kLowest 44% below NY |
$83,549±$4kHighest about the NY average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $164,200±$5k 61% below NY |
$138,400±$5kLowest 67% below NY |
$501,600±$19kHighest 18% above NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,046±$18 35% below NY |
$1,039±$20Lowest 36% below NY |
$1,784±$35Highest 10% above NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,622Lowest 75% below NY |
$3,210 51% below NY |
$9,676Highest 47% above NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.3%±2.3Lowest NY: 52.1% |
55.4%±2.9Highest NY: 52.1% |
54.5%±3.3 NY: 52.1% |
| Syracuse and Yonkers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 26% NY: 14% |
28.8%Highest NY: 14% |
13.8%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 43% NY: 54.3% |
41.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
46.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1948 11 yrs older than NY |
1958Highest 1 yr older than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 39% below NY |
18 minLowest 45% below NY |
36 minHighest 9% above NY |
| Work from home | 11.3%±0.8Lowest NY: 14.9% |
12%±1.1Highest NY: 14.9% |
11.6%±1.3 NY: 14.9% |
| Syracuse and Yonkers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #455 of 484 in NY | #472 of 484 in NY | #280 of 484 in NY |
| School district | BUFFALO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | NEW YORK STATE OFFICE MENTAL HEALTH (OMH) · SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | GREENBURGH-NORTH CASTLE UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT · YONKERS CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | HUTCHINSON CENTRAL TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL | HENNINGER HIGH SCHOOL | LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Lowest |
13.3 |
17.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NY average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.