Compare towns
Schenectady 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
Schenectady has the highest household income ($58k).
Syracuse has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.4%).
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 | Schenectady | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 68,847Lowest |
146,384Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+2.4%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 36.1±1Highest 9% below NY |
31.8±0.4Lowest 20% below NY |
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±1.2Lowest NY: 20.5% |
20.5%±0.7Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Syracuse and Schenectady are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 15.1%±1.1Highest NY: 17.9% |
14.4%±0.6Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Schenectady and Syracuse are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.4%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
31.2%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.8%±1Lowest NY: 7% |
16.8%±0.8Highest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $58,399±$3kHighest 32% below NY |
$47,819±$2kLowest 44% below NY |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $168,800±$5kHighest 60% below NY |
$138,400±$5kLowest 67% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,145±$33Highest 29% below NY |
$1,039±$20Lowest 36% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,874Highest 26% below NY |
$3,210Lowest 51% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.5%±4.5Highest NY: 52.1% |
55.4%±2.9Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Schenectady and Syracuse are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 23.8%Lowest NY: 14% |
28.8%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.6%Highest NY: 54.3% |
41.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1941Lowest 18 yrs older than NY |
1948Highest 11 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minHighest 33% below NY |
18 minLowest 45% below NY |
| Work from home | 10.9%±1.4Lowest NY: 14.9% |
12%±1.1Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Syracuse and Schenectady 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 | #400 of 484 in NY | #472 of 484 in NY |
| School district | SCHENECTADY CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | NEW YORK STATE OFFICE MENTAL HEALTH (OMH) · SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | SCHENECTADY HIGH SCHOOL | HENNINGER HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3 |
13.3 |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.