Is Solvay, NY a Good Place to Live?
Solvay is a small town of 6,607 in New York, with a median household income of $55,302 and a 5.5% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 95 (US average = 100), which is 5% below the national average.
Strengths: Solvay stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (A-), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Solvay is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Solvay city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 95.2Solvay's overall cost of living index is 95.2, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Solvay costs roughly 5% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Solvay, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $139,800 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $882 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 49.0% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $55,302 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Safer than AverageSolvay's violent crime rate is 284.2 per 100,000 residents — 25% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Solvay is served primarily by SOLVAY UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT. The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.0:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Solvay, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | SOLVAY UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| Elementary Schools | 1 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 10.0:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 25.8% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 87.4% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Solvay sees average highs of 31.7°F in January and 81.7°F in July, with 43.4 inches of annual precipitation and 127.8 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Solvay, NY |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 31.7°F |
| Average High — July | 81.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 127.8" |
Demographics
| Metric | Solvay, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 6,607 | — |
| Median Age | 38.3 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 22.1 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 86.5% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 8.1% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 2.2% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.8% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 23.0% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 18.2% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Solvay
Solvay, NY is covered by 1 ZIP code: