Compare towns
Syracuse 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.4%).
Schenectady has the highest household income ($58k).
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 | Schenectady |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 146,384Highest |
68,847Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4%Highest NY: +4.2% |
+1.4%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 31.8±0.4Lowest 20% below NY |
36.1±1Highest 9% below NY |
| Kids under 18 | 20.5%±0.7Highest NY: 20.5% |
19.9%±1.2Lowest 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+ | 14.4%±0.6Lowest NY: 17.9% |
15.1%±1.1Highest 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+ | 31.2%Highest NY: 40.2% |
25.4%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 16.8%±0.8Highest NY: 7% |
9.8%±1Lowest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $47,819±$2kLowest 44% below NY |
$58,399±$3kHighest 32% below NY |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $138,400±$5kLowest 67% below NY |
$168,800±$5kHighest 60% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,039±$20Lowest 36% below NY |
$1,145±$33Highest 29% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,210Lowest 51% below NY |
$4,874Highest 26% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.4%±2.9Lowest 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% |
23.8%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 41.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
45.6%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1948Highest 11 yrs older than NY |
1941Lowest 18 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 45% below NY |
22 minHighest 33% below NY |
| Work from home | 12%±1.1Highest NY: 14.9% |
10.9%±1.4Lowest 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 | #472 of 484 in NY | #400 of 484 in NY |
| School district | NEW YORK STATE OFFICE MENTAL HEALTH (OMH) · SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | SCHENECTADY CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | HENNINGER HIGH SCHOOL | SCHENECTADY 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.