Syracuse receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Oswego
Syracuse
Opportunity
48 · Bottom 33%
vs37 · Bottom 14%
Growth
32 · Bottom 20%
vs74 · Top 12%
Climate
60 · Bottom 14%
vs61 · Bottom 16%
Physical resilience
84 · Top 18%
vs89 · Top 12%
Housing affordability
84 · Top 45%
vs81 · Top 49%
Schools
36 · Bottom 30%
vs18 · Bottom 9%
Access
85 · Bottom 29%
vs98 · Top 19%
Economic stability
36 · Bottom 13%
vs29 · Bottom 6%
Measured values
| Metric | Oswego | Syracuse | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,033 | 146,384 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $53,172 | $47,819 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,279 | $28,393 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,237/sq mi | 5,842/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $120,600 | $138,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,109 | $1,039 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 50.2% | 41.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 5.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.2% | -1.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.1% | 31.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.6% | 28.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 8 | 1,286 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.5 | 8.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -57.9% | 466.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 80°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 17°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 39.6" | 39.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 31 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.6 min | 19.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.7 | 31.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 37 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.66 | 12.23 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 28.1% | 11.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 45.6% | 23.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 42.3% | 76.9% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Full profiles: Oswego, NY · Syracuse, NY · How this is calculated: methodology