Town · Kosciusko County, Indiana

Syracuse, Indiana

Syracuse is a town in Kosciusko County, Indiana, part of the Warsaw, IN metro area. It has 3,233 residents. Syracuse, Indiana has a quality-of-life score of 43 out of 100 (moderate), ranking #8,912 of 15,651 US cities and towns. Within Indiana it ranks #153 of 353 cities and towns. It ranks best on natural hazard risk (low), social associations (high) and primary care shortage (low). It ranks worst on broadband subscriptions (low), public EV charging ports (low) and comfortable days (low).

43Moderate

Quality-of-life score: #8,912 of 15,651 cities and towns
Indiana: #153 of 353 in IN
Population: 3,233 (2020-2024)
Land area: 2 mi²
Density: 1,460.3 /mi²
FIPS code: 1874744

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 73 of 80 indicators, with the default “Explorer” weights.

Open in the map

Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety52#7,426/15,637
Economy58#6,489/15,631
Housing81#2,786/14,977
Health40#9,324/15,609
Healthcare29#11,171/15,650
Environment32#10,432/15,453
Education37#9,829/15,649
Infrastructure28#11,220/15,650
Community62#5,998/15,651
Leisure & amenities39#9,486/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Syracuse, Indiana ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Kosciusko County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Natural hazard risk · low3.3
96/100Indiana 24.52025Federal Emergency Management AgencyKosciusko County value
Social associations · high17.2 /10k
95/100Indiana 11.8 /10kUnited States 9.1 /10k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteKosciusko County value
Primary care shortage · low0.0
90/100Indiana 7.8United States 6.2Oct 2026Health Resources and Services AdministrationKosciusko County value
Poverty rate · low4.2%
87/100Indiana 12.1%United States 12.1%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B17001
Average commute time · low19.1 min
86/100Indiana 24.1 minUnited States 26.4 min2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B08013
Unemployment rate · low1.8%
85/100Indiana 3.7%United States 4.3%2020-2024U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Census table B23025High uncertainty

Weaknesses

Broadband subscriptions · low82.5%
6/100Indiana 89.9%United States 91.0%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B28002
Public EV charging ports · low0.9 /10k
10/100Indiana 3.2 /10kUnited States 7.6 /10kOct 2026U.S. Department of EnergyKosciusko County value
Comfortable days · low23.5%
13/100Indiana 24.0%United States 26.8%2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental InformationKosciusko County value
Grocery stores · low1.0 /10k
14/100Indiana 1.3 /10kUnited States 1.7 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsKosciusko County value
Dentists · low36 /100k
18/100Indiana 61 /100kUnited States 75 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteKosciusko County value
Pharmacies · low1.1 /10k
19/100Indiana 1.5 /10kUnited States 1.8 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsKosciusko County value

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

PopulationRising
2,881 (2015-2019) → 3,233 (2020-2024)
+12%5 yearsCensus table B01003US 328,329,953 → 340,003,797
Rent-burdened householdsWorsening
32.6% (2015-2019) → 46.7% (2020-2024)
+14 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
70.3% (2015-2019) → 82.5% (2020-2024)
+12 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Poverty rateImproving
16.1% (2015-2019) → 4.2% (2020-2024)
−12 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 12.3% → 12.1%
Uninsured residents (under 65)Improving
17.9% (2015-2019) → 8.4% (2020-2024)
−9.5 pts5 yearsCensus table B27010US 10.8% → 9.8%
Median household incomeImproving
$50,335 (2015-2019) → $71,833 (2020-2024)
+43%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Syracuse, Indiana improved on 4 of 12 measures with a comparison and declined on 0. 8 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved4

Uninsured−9.5 points17.9% → 8.4%
Poverty−12 points16.1% → 4.2%
Household income+43%$50,335 → $71,833
Broadband+12 points70.3% → 82.5%

Declined0

No measure declined by more than its margin of error.

All 12 measures

Change of every measure of Syracuse, Indiana between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	16.8 min2015-2019	19.1 min2020-2024	+2.2 min	Within the margin of error	25%
Bachelor's degree or higher	20.9%2015-2019	19.3%2020-2024	−1.6 points	Within the margin of error	18%
Broadband subscriptions	70.3%2015-2019	82.5%2020-2024	+12 points	Improved	70%
High school diploma or higher	81.6%2015-2019	85.4%2020-2024	+3.9 points	Within the margin of error	75%
Home price to income ratio	2.5×2015-2019	2.8×2020-2024	+0.2×	Within the margin of error	65%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.3822015-2019	0.3962020-2024	+0.015	Within the margin of error	38%
Median household income	$50,3352015-2019	$71,8332020-2024	+43%	Improved	77%
Poverty rate	16.1%2015-2019	4.2%2020-2024	−12 points	Improved	95%
Public transit commuters	0.0%2015-2019	0.0%2020-2024	0 points	Within the margin of error	60%
Rent as share of income	22.6%2015-2019	28.5%2020-2024	+5.9 points	Within the margin of error	19%
Rent-burdened households	32.6%2015-2019	46.7%2020-2024	+14 points	Within the margin of error	16%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	17.9%2015-2019	8.4%2020-2024	−9.5 points	Improved	96%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Syracuse, Indiana five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Syracuse, Indiana in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Syracuse, Indiana itself moved −8.7 points in standing on average over the same 9 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

3,233 residents (±21)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

1,506 households (±136)

Syracuse, Indiana
Indiana share

Under $25k15%†224
$25k–50k22%†337
$50k–75k

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

1,506 households (±136)

Syracuse, Indiana
Indiana share

Own72%1,091
Rent28%415

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Own (+20.2 points).

Table view

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

1,859 workers (±186)

Syracuse, Indiana
Indiana share

Drive alone79%1,460
Carpool13%†250
Public transit0.0%0

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the Warsaw, IN

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Kosciusko County, the county holding most of Syracuse's residents.

Kosciusko County has 2,039 employer establishments, 254 for every 10,000 residents (1.02× the US rate of 248; 1.12× Indiana's), with 38,731 paid employees at an average annual pay of $63,361. The Census Bureau also counts 5,754 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 2,039; 5,754 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 254; US 248 · Indiana 226
Paid employees: 38,731
Average annual pay: $63,361; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Kosciusko County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Specialty trade contractors	139	17.3	1.12×About typical	936	$60,315	503
Restaurants and other eating places	137	17.1	0.93×About typical	2,533	$17,975	27
Religious organizations	104	12.9	2.33×More than typical	550	$23,291	—
Ambulatory health care services	101	12.6	0.60×Fewer than typical	1,757	$68,479	149
Construction of buildings	85	10.6	1.40×More than typical	460	$55,361	258
Services to buildings and dwellings	74	9.2	1.37×More than typical	360	$37,386	397
Lessors of real estate	65	8.1	0.66×Fewer than typical	143	$41,643	638
Full-service restaurants	63	7.8	1.02×About typical	1,159	$19,501	9
Limited-service restaurants	60	7.5	0.93×About typical	1,177	$17,153	12
Landscaping services	52	6.5	1.85×More than typical	221	$44,511	140
Fabricated metal product manufacturing	48	6	3.74×More than typical	1,728	$52,738	31
Automotive repair and maintenance	45	5.6	1.11×About typical	236	$53,161	78

Rank places for an industry Open Kosciusko County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 80,338 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $346 of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Syracuse, Indiana: $0.11 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $346; −59% vs FY2025
Per resident: $0.11; US $1,994
Sole-source: 0.0%; US 30%
Single offer: 0.0%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration$346100%

Top recipients

ROWES LAWN CARE LLC$346100%

Spending by fiscal year

773FY2017
782FY2018
3.4KFY2019
3KFY2020
3KFY2021
8.8KFY2022
36.1KFY2023
5.7KFY2024

Top industries (NAICS)

Services to buildings and dwellings · 5617$346100%

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Syracuse, Indiana, so they do not add up across cities.

Syracuse, Indiana's figures are part of those of Kosciusko County, IN and Elkhart County, IN ($47.8M in FY2026), never added to them: 0.0% of that total.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Syracuse is mostly in Kosciusko County.

See federal money in Kosciusko County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Syracuse, Indiana is split between congressional districts: each representative is shown with the share of its residents in their district (current boundaries).

House

Senate

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Kosciusko County59100% of residents

Metro area

The metro or micro area the city belongs to.

Warsaw, IN50

Other cities and towns in Kosciusko County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/1874744

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends