Compare towns
Rochester vs Buffalo vs Syracuse
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rochester has the most renters (61.9% rent).
Buffalo has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Syracuse has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Rochester | Buffalo | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 208,772 |
276,854Highest |
146,384Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.4%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+6.5%Highest NY: +4.2% |
+2.4% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 33.7±0.5 15% below NY |
34.3±0.5Highest 14% below NY |
31.8±0.4Lowest 20% below NY |
| Buffalo and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±0.7 NY: 20.5% |
22.3%±0.6Highest NY: 20.5% |
20.5%±0.7Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Age 65+ | 13.1%±0.5Lowest NY: 17.9% |
14.2%±0.5 NY: 17.9% |
14.4%±0.6Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Syracuse and Buffalo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
31.2%Highest NY: 40.2% |
31.2%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.8%±0.6 NY: 7% |
8.5%±0.5Lowest NY: 7% |
16.8%±0.8Highest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $47,213±$2kLowest 45% below NY |
$50,041±$2kHighest 42% below NY |
$47,819±$2k 44% below NY |
| Buffalo and Syracuse are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $139,600±$5k 67% below NY |
$164,200±$5kHighest 61% below NY |
$138,400±$5kLowest 67% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,081±$16Highest 33% below NY |
$1,046±$18 35% below NY |
$1,039±$20Lowest 36% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,152 52% below NY |
$1,622Lowest 75% below NY |
$3,210Highest 51% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.3%±2.1 NY: 52.1% |
52.3%±2.3Lowest NY: 52.1% |
55.4%±2.9Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Syracuse and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 27.8% NY: 14% |
26%Lowest NY: 14% |
28.8%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 38.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
43%Highest NY: 54.3% |
41.6% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1948Highest 11 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 41% below NY |
20 minHighest 39% below NY |
18 minLowest 45% below NY |
| Work from home | 12.5%±1.2Highest NY: 14.9% |
11.3%±0.8Lowest NY: 14.9% |
12%±1.1 NY: 14.9% |
| Rochester and Syracuse 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 | #458 of 484 in NY | #455 of 484 in NY | #472 of 484 in NY |
| School district | EXPLORATION ELE CS - SCIENCE-TECHNOL · ROCHESTER CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | BUFFALO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | NEW YORK STATE OFFICE MENTAL HEALTH (OMH) · SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | EDISON CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY HIGH SCHOOL | HUTCHINSON CENTRAL TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL | HENNINGER HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.8Lowest |
12.5 |
13.3Highest |
| 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.