Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Albany, NY
VS
Syracuse, NY
🏆 Albany leads 14 of 23 categories
Albany
New York
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.6
Median Household Income
$54,736 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
215⚠ High
Population
99,692
Syracuse
New York
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$43,584
Violent Crime Index
201⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
146,134 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Albany, NY
Pros
Households earn $11,152 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (8.0%)
More college-educated — 43.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Violent crime (816.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2848.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Snowy winters — about 56" of snow per year
Cost of living runs 2% higher than Syracuse
Syracuse, NY
Pros
Homes cost $96k less ($117,900 vs $213,400)
6% less violent crime than Albany
Rent averages $198/mo less ($932 vs $1,130)
Smaller class sizes — 10.9:1 student-teacher ratio
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Albany
Cons
Violent crime (765.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Albany by $11,152/yr
Property crime (4234.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Snowy winters — about 128" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Albany
Median Income
$11,152
$54,736 vs $43,584/yr
Albany
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
8.0% vs 8.6% unemployment
Syracuse
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 95.2 vs 97.6 (100 = US avg)
Syracuse
Violent Crime
6% lower
765.3 vs 816.9 per 100k
Syracuse
Median Home Value
$96k less
$117,900 vs $213,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Albany, NY | Syracuse, NY |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.6 | 95.2 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $213,400 | $117,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,130 | $932 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $54,736 ✓ Higher | $43,584 |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 8.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.3 min | 17.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% ✓ Higher | 9.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 183⚠ High ✓ Safer | 201⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 215⚠ High | 201⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 136⚠ High ✓ Safer | 202⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (104) ✓ Better | B (98) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.6:1 | 10.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 43.0% ✓ Higher | 29.7% |
| High School or Higher | 88.8% ✓ Higher | 84.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ALBANY CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 32.8°F ✓ Warmer | 31.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 83.9°F ✓ Warmer | 81.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.1" ✓ Drier | 43.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 56.2" ✓ Less | 127.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 99,692 | 146,134 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 32.0 ✓ Older | 31.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 36.7% | 40.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 15.1% | 21.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.7% ✓ More | 13.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Albany's cost of living index is 97.6 vs Syracuse's 95.2 (US average = 100).
Syracuse is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Albany leads 14 of 23 categories. Albany wins 14 and Syracuse wins 9. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Albany to Syracuse or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($213,400 vs $117,900 median home), income ($54,736 vs $43,584), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Albany, NY and Syracuse, NY are about 122 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.