Compare towns
Syracuse vs Buffalo vs DeWitt vs Schenectady
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Syracuse has the most affordable homes ($138k median).
Buffalo has the oldest housing (typical home built 1938).
DeWitt has the highest household income ($124k).
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 | Syracuse | Buffalo | DeWitt | Schenectady |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 146,384 |
276,854Highest |
11,060Lowest |
68,847 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4% NY: +4.2% |
+6.5%Highest NY: +4.2% |
— | +1.4%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 31.8±0.4Lowest 20% below NY |
34.3±0.5 14% below NY |
41.4±4.4Highest 4% above NY |
36.1±1 9% below NY |
| DeWitt and Schenectady are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.5%±0.7 NY: 20.5% |
22.3%±0.6 NY: 20.5% |
22.8%±4Highest NY: 20.5% |
19.9%±1.2Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| DeWitt and Buffalo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.4%±0.6 NY: 17.9% |
14.2%±0.5Lowest NY: 17.9% |
21.7%±2.5Highest NY: 17.9% |
15.1%±1.1 NY: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.2% NY: 40.2% |
31.2% NY: 40.2% |
63.1%Highest NY: 40.2% |
25.4%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 16.8%±0.8Highest NY: 7% |
8.5%±0.5Lowest NY: 7% |
14.3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
9.8%±1 NY: 7% |
| Syracuse and DeWitt are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $47,819±$2kLowest 44% below NY |
$50,041±$2k 42% below NY |
$123,864±$23kHighest 44% above NY |
$58,399±$3k 32% below NY |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $138,400±$5kLowest 67% below NY |
$164,200±$5k 61% below NY |
$297,600±$20kHighest 30% below NY |
$168,800±$5k 60% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,039±$20Lowest 36% below NY |
$1,046±$18 35% below NY |
$1,172±$257Highest 28% below NY |
$1,145±$33 29% below NY |
| DeWitt and Schenectady are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,210 51% below NY |
$1,622Lowest 75% below NY |
$7,402Highest 12% above NY |
$4,874 26% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.4%±2.9 NY: 52.1% |
52.3%±2.3 NY: 52.1% |
51.3%±18.6Lowest NY: 52.1% |
58.5%±4.5Highest 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 | 28.8%Highest NY: 14% |
26% NY: 14% |
8.5%Lowest NY: 14% |
23.8% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 41.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
43% NY: 54.3% |
72.7%Highest NY: 54.3% |
45.6% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1948 11 yrs older than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1964Highest 5 yrs newer than NY |
1941 18 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 45% below NY |
20 min 39% below NY |
17 minLowest 48% below NY |
22 minHighest 33% below NY |
| Work from home | 12%±1.1Highest NY: 14.9% |
11.3%±0.8 NY: 14.9% |
10.6%±3.3Lowest NY: 14.9% |
10.9%±1.4 NY: 14.9% |
| Syracuse and Buffalo 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 | #472 of 484 in NY | #455 of 484 in NY | #70 of 484 in NY | #400 of 484 in NY |
| School district | NEW YORK STATE OFFICE MENTAL HEALTH (OMH) · SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | BUFFALO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | SCHENECTADY CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | HENNINGER HIGH SCHOOL | HUTCHINSON CENTRAL TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL | — | SCHENECTADY HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3Highest |
12.5Lowest |
— | 13.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.