Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US metro and micro areas.

Safety66#311/924
Economy63#340/925
Housing46#501/925
Health78#203/925
Healthcare88#115/923
Environment66#310/917
Education77#211/925
Infrastructure96#35/925
Community75#236/925
Leisure & amenities71#272/925

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Syracuse, NY metro area ranks highest and lowest among US metro and micro areas (score = percentile, 100 = best).

Strengths

Uninsured residents (under 65) · low4.3%
97/100New York 5.9%United States 9.8%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B27010
Public EV charging ports · high21.5 /10k
97/100New York 10.8 /10kUnited States 7.6 /10kOct 2026U.S. Department of EnergyAggregated from counties
Distance to an airport · low12 mi
95/100New York 15 miUnited States 33 mi2025Federal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census BureauAggregated from counties
Traffic deaths · low7.8 /100k
93/100New York 5.6 /100kUnited States 12.3 /100k2020-2024National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationAggregated from counties
Hot days · low2 days
91/100New York 3 daysUnited States 42 days2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental InformationAggregated from counties
Public transit commuters · high1.7%
91/100New York 21.6%United States 3.2%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B08301

Weaknesses

Effective property tax rate · high2.15%
1/100New York 1.30%United States 0.94%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25090
Comfortable days · low22.0%
2/100New York 22.7%United States 26.8%2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental InformationAggregated from counties
Child care cost burden · high39.0%
9/100New York 37.7%United States 27.9%2023 & 2024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
New business applications · low8.4 /1k
13/100New York 15.1 /1kUnited States 16.6 /1k2025U.S. Census BureauAggregated from counties
Property crime rate · high1,722 /100k
20/100New York 1,575 /100kUnited States 1,535 /100k2024Federal Bureau of InvestigationAggregated from counties
Days with unhealthy air · high1.1%
28/100New York 1.2%2025U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Trends

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

New homes permittedImproving
1.1 /1k (2021) → 3.2 /1k (Sep 2025–Aug 2026)
+206%5 yearsUS 5.2 /1k → 4.2 /1k
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
81.1% (2015-2019) → 91.2% (2020-2024)
+10 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Cost of buying a home todayWorsening
17.5% (Dec 2021) → 27.6% (Aug 2026)
+10 pts5 yearsUS 26.4% → 34.1%
Homicide rateImproving
6.2 /100k (2021) → 3.2 /100k (May 2025–Apr 2026)
−47%5 yearsUS 7.8 /100k → 4.8 /100k
Drug overdose deathsImproving
36.4 /100k (2021) → 19.8 /100k (Mar 2025–Feb 2026)
−46%5 yearsUS 30.8 /100k → 18.4 /100k
Access to exercise opportunitiesImproving
79.9% (2010 & 2021) → 89.0% (2022 & 2024)
+9.1 pts3 yearsUS 79.8% → 84.5%

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, NY metro area improved on 11 of 31 measures with a comparison and declined on 8. 5 moved within the margin of error and 7 barely changed.

Earlier period
Latest period
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among metro and micro areas: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts. Periods differ by measure (most compare 2015-2019 with 2020-2024); each row names its own in its tooltip and in the table.

Improved11

Property tax−0.4 points2.60% → 2.15%
Unemployment−4.3 points8.0% → 3.7%
Weekly wage+27%$1,083 → $1,371
Violent crime−34%306 /100k → 202 /100k
Homicides−39%5.3 /100k → 3.2 /100k

Declined8

Suicides+56%9.3 /100k → 14.4 /100k
Pharmacies−24%2.0 /10k → 1.5 /10k
Restaurants−9%9.5 /10k → 8.6 /10k
Grocery stores−11%1.9 /10k → 1.7 /10k
Transit use−0.6 points2.3% → 1.7%

All 31 measures

Change of every measure of Syracuse, NY metro area between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Arts, entertainment and recreation	4.6 /10k2020	4.6 /10k2025	+1.6%	Little change	33%
Average commute time	21.3 min2015-2019	21.4 min2020-2024	+0.1 min	Within the margin of error	60%
Average weekly wage	$1,0832020	$1,3712025	+27%	Improved	77%
Bachelor's degree or higher	31.8%2015-2019	35.1%2020-2024	+3.3 points	Improved	63%
Broadband subscriptions	81.1%2015-2019	91.2%2020-2024	+10 points	Improved	63%
Child poverty rate	20.7%2015-2019	20.5%2020-2024	−0.3 points	Within the margin of error	26%
Distance to an airport	12 mi2020	12 mi2025	+0 mi	Little change	10%
Drug overdose deaths	29.8 /100k2020	19.8 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026	−34%	Improved	61%
Effective property tax rate	2.60%2015-2019	2.15%2020-2024	−0.4 points	Improved	98%
Firearm deaths	9.0 /100k2020	8.9 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−1.1%	Little change	52%
Grocery stores	1.9 /10k2020	1.7 /10k2025	−11%	Declined	23%
Gyms and fitness centers	1.2 /10k2020	1.2 /10k2025	+2.6%	Little change	49%
High school diploma or higher	90.6%2015-2019	91.6%2020-2024	+1 points	Within the margin of error	27%
Home price to income ratio	2.3×2015-2019	2.5×2020-2024	+0.2×	Declined	80%
Homicide rate	5.3 /100k2020	3.2 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−39%	Improved	66%
Income adjusted for local prices	$52,6892019	$66,7222024	+27%	Improved	14%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4572015-2019	0.4592020-2024	+0.002	Within the margin of error	48%
Median household income	$60,3372015-2019	$75,4922020-2024	+25%	Improved	39%
New business applications	6.0 /1k2020	8.4 /1k2025	+40%	Improved	41%
Pharmacies	2.0 /10k2020	1.5 /10k2025	−24%	Declined	13%
Poverty rate	14.2%2015-2019	13.9%2020-2024	−0.3 points	Within the margin of error	33%
Public libraries	0.8 /10k2019	0.8 /10k2024	−2.5%	Little change	42%
Public transit commuters	2.3%2015-2019	1.7%2020-2024	−0.6 points	Declined	32%
Rent as share of income	29.0%2015-2019	30.1%2020-2024	+1.1 points	Declined	34%
Rent-burdened households	47.6%2015-2019	50.1%2020-2024	+2.5 points	Declined	36%
Restaurants and bars	9.5 /10k2020	8.6 /10k2025	−9%	Declined	14%
Suicide rate	9.3 /100k2020	14.4 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+56%	Declined	7%
Traffic deaths	8.0 /100k2015-2019	7.8 /100k2020-2024	−2.6%	Little change	67%
Unemployment rate	8.0%2020	3.7%2025	−4.3 points	Improved	85%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	4.6%2015-2019	4.2%2020-2024	−0.4 points	Little change	57%
Violent crime rate	306 /100k2020	202 /100k2025	−34%	Improved	80%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 708 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts; Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; Mapping Injury, Overdose, and Violence; American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; Business Formation Statistics; Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master files; Public Libraries Survey; Fatality Analysis Reporting System; Distance to airports and intercity rail. 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 925 metro and micro areas 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.

Metro and micro areas like Syracuse, NY metro area five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Syracuse, NY metro area 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, NY metro area itself moved −1.4 points in standing on average over the same 29 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

656,410 residents

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

271,251 households (±1,303)

Syracuse, NY metro area
United States share

Under $25k16%43,777
$25k–50k18%48,180
$50k–75k16%42,849

Homes

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

Owners and renters

271,251 households (±1,303)

Syracuse, NY metro area
United States share

Own68%185,614
Rent32%85,637

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Own (+0.9 points).

Table view

Getting to work

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

How people get to work

304,987 workers (±2,502)

Syracuse, NY metro area
United States share

Drive alone73%223,205
Carpool7.6%23,076
Public transit1.7%5,147

Jobs and pay

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

The 10 largest occupations in Syracuse, NY employ 67,250 people. 8 pay a median above the US median and 2 below it.

Above the US median
Below the US median

The largest occupations in Syracuse, NY by employment, with median annual pay and how it compares with the United States
Occupation	Jobs	Median pay	vs USCompared with the US	Concentration
Home Health and Personal Care Aides8,310 jobs	8,310	$37,440US $35,800	+5%	1.0×
Registered Nurses8,180 jobs	8,180	$86,960US $97,550	−11%	1.25×
Retail Salespersons8,150 jobs	8,150	$35,250US $35,410	0%	1.08×
Fast Food and Counter Workers6,750 jobs	6,750	$33,940US $31,200	+9%	0.91×
Stockers and Order Fillers6,640 jobs	6,640	$38,950US $37,330	+4%	1.21×
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand6,390 jobs	6,390	$44,660US $40,240	+11%	1.12×
Cashiers6,140 jobs	6,140	$33,950US $32,880	+3%	1.03×
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners6,010 jobs	6,010	$38,230US $36,840	+4%	1.41×
General and Operations Managers5,730 jobs	5,730	$108,140US $105,770	+2%	0.85×
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive4,950 jobs	4,950	$48,500US $47,540	+2%	1.5×

Look up any occupation

Search more than 800 occupations and see what they pay in Syracuse, NY.

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025-05 (all industries and ownerships) bls.gov/oes

Reference period: 2025-05. BLS publishes metro areas, states and the nation (not counties or cities), so a county or city page shows its metro area.
Pay is not adjusted for the cost of living, so a higher median does not mean more purchasing power.
BLS caps the highest wages it publishes: where a figure is shown as “or more”, the real value is at least that much.
Some occupations (teachers, performers) are published by the hour or school year and shown here as an annual figure.

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.

Syracuse, NY has 14,587 employer establishments, 223 for every 10,000 residents (0.90× the US rate of 248), with 263,502 paid employees at an average annual pay of $57,960. The Census Bureau also counts 45,489 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 14,587; 45,489 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 223; US 248
Paid employees: 263,502
Average annual pay: $57,960; US $68,342

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

Restaurants and other eating places	1,152	17.6	0.96×About typical	18,690	$22,732	186
Ambulatory health care services	1,051	16.1	0.77×Fewer than typical	16,618	$67,475	2,205
Specialty trade contractors	930	14.2	0.92×About typical	7,392	$74,880	2,548
Construction of buildings	547	8.4	1.11×About typical	2,895	$71,154	1,146
Lessors of real estate	518	7.9	0.64×Fewer than typical	2,498	$58,072	4,659
Services to buildings and dwellings	487	7.4	1.10×About typical	3,473	$36,118	1,881
Limited-service restaurants	480	7.3	0.92×About typical	7,965	$19,955	110
Full-service restaurants	442	6.8	0.88×About typical	8,072	$25,955	60
Automotive repair and maintenance	361	5.5	1.10×About typical	1,829	$50,150	439
Religious organizations	359	5.5	0.99×About typical	2,730	$24,133	—
Offices of physicians	334	5.1	0.79×Fewer than typical	5,723	$93,269	440
Legal services	330	5	0.94×About typical	2,061	$74,386	514

Federal contract spending

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $800.1M on contracts performed in Syracuse, NY metro area: $1,227 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $800.1M; −54% vs FY2025
Per resident: $1,227; US $1,994
Sole-source: 28%; US 30%
Single offer: 8.4%; 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

Department of the Air Force$189.1M24%
Department of the Army$140.9M18%
Department of the Navy$128.1M16%
Federal Aviation Administration$126.1M16%
Defense Logistics Agency$68.7M8.6%
Department of Veterans Affairs$52.7M6.6%
U.S. Customs and Border Protection$30.6M3.8%
Agricultural Marketing Service$20.6M2.6%

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

1.8BFY2017
1.5BFY2018
1.3BFY2019
1.2BFY2020
1.2BFY2021
1.3BFY2022
2.5BFY2023
2.3B

Top industries (NAICS)

Navigational, measuring, electromedical, and control instruments manufacturing · 3345$465.9M58%
Other fabricated metal product manufacturing · 3329$81.6M10%
Aerospace product and parts manufacturing · 3364$27M3.4%
Scientific research and development services · 5417$24.6M3.1%
Other professional, scientific, and technical services · 5419$20.5M2.6%
Dairy product manufacturing · 3115

Largest awards

CRUISE MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEMS SENTINEL A4 RADAR DEVELOPMENT COMPETITIVE REQUIREMENT$687.7M
LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION· Onondaga County, NY· Other equipment & supplies· Sep 25, 2019 – Jun 2, 2026· W31P4Q19C0058
THREE-DIMENSIONAL EXPEDITIONARY LONG-RANGE RADAR SYSTEM$592.6M
LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION· Onondaga County, NY· Other equipment & supplies· Mar 26, 2021 – Mar 24, 2026· FA873021C0022
AN/SLQ-32(V)6 SEWIP BLOCK 2 SUBSYSTEMS$572.4M
LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION· Onondaga County, NY· Other equipment & supplies· Mar 14, 2017 – May 20, 2026· N0002416C5363
UKRAINE LETTER CONTRACT FOR SIXTEEN AN/TPQ-53 RADAR SYSTEMS, TWO DDREX SYSTEM MODIFICATIONS, AND RELATED SUPPLIES AND SERVICES.

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.

Federal grants & assistance

Grants, loans (counted at their subsidy cost), direct payments and insurance, by fiscal year of the action (USAspending.gov, FABS). Reported apart from contracts and never added to them.

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $4.6B in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for Syracuse, NY metro area: $7,101 per resident (US $12,955).

Assistance · FY2026: $4.6B; −7.1% vs FY2025
Per resident: $7,101; US $12,955
Loan face value: $89.3M; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 0.1%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$2.8B60%
96.001 · Social Security Disability Insurance$358.8M7.7%
20.279 · National Highway Performance Program (NHPP)$261M5.6%
64.109 · Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected Disability$242.7M5.2%
96.004 · Social Security Survivors Insurance$213.4M4.6%
96.006 · Supplemental Security Income$149.3M3.2%
20.263 · Bridge Formula Program$125.3M2.7%
14.871 · Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers$53.6M1.2%

Top recipients (organizations)

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NEW YORK$440.6M9.5%
ALBANY, NY
SYRACUSE HOUSING AUTHORITY$55.6M1.2%
SYRACUSE, NY
SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY$44.6M1.0%
SYRACUSE, NY
SYRACUSE REGIONAL AIRPORT AUTH$40.7M0.9%
SYRACUSE, NY
THE RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK

Organizations only: awards to individuals and county aggregate records count in the totals but are never listed. Grants to state governments recorded at the agency's own address are counted statewide, not in the capital's county.

Top agencies

Social Security Administration$3.5B76%
Federal Highway Administration$429.7M9.3%
Department of Transportation
Under Secretary for Benefits/Veterans Benefits Administration$284.1M6.1%
Department of Veterans Affairs
Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing$73.8M1.6%
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

Assistance by fiscal year

4.1BFY2021
3.8BFY2022
4.3BFY2023
4.6BFY2024
5BFY2025
4.6BFY2026

County aggregates

84%

Share of obligations reported only as county totals of many small awards (for example Social Security or Medicare payments), with no recipient named.

Source: Federal financial assistance transactions (Financial Assistance Broker Submission) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026 · FY2021–FY2026.

Counties in Syracuse, NY

Whole counties, as the U.S. Office of Management and Budget delineates the area. Federal spending below is the exact sum of these counties.

Principal cities

The cities the area is named for.

SyracusePrincipal city146,384

Largest cities and towns

By population, for places with most of their residents in the area.

Other metro and micro areas in New York

Areas based in New York, best score first.

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Places that share a border, best score first.

Similar metro and micro areas

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.

Mapping Injury, Overdose, and ViolenceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2026-10-01
PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Daily county PM2.5 and ozone (EPA downscaler model)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2022
Care Compare: Hospital General Information and Timely and Effective CareCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services · release 2026-07-22
Distance to airports and intercity railFederal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau · release 2025+amtrak-2026-04-23
Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master filesFederal Bureau of Investigation · release 2025
Public Libraries SurveyInstitute of Museum and Library Services · release FY2024
U.S. Drought Monitor county statisticsNational Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAA · release 2026-09-29
Fatality Analysis Reporting SystemNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration · release 2024
nClimGrid-Daily county averagesNOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · release 2025
Regional Economic AccountsU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · release 2024
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2026 Q1
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Business Formation StatisticsU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-10-01
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
Alternative Fuels Data Center station locatorU.S. Department of Energy · release 2026-10
Election Administration and Voting SurveyU.S. Election Assistance Commission · release 2024
Air Quality Index Annual Summary by CountyU.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2025
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement
Zillow Home Value Index, Observed Rent Index and affordabilityZillow Research · release 2026-08

JSON · /api/v1/places/M45060

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved11

Declined8

Metro and micro areas like Syracuse, NY metro area five years ago that improved

Who lives here

Age and sex

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Getting to work

How people get to work

Jobs and pay

Look up any occupation

Local businesses

Federal contract spending

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Federal grants & assistance

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

Counties in Syracuse, NY

Principal cities

Largest cities and towns

Other metro and micro areas in New York

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Similar metro and micro areas

Data and sources

Improved11

Declined8

Age and sex

Household income

Owners and renters

How people get to work

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Time to get to work

Look up any occupation

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

By type

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

What was bought