Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Arlington, VA
VS
Syracuse, NY
🏆 Arlington leads 15 of 23 categories
Arlington
Virginia
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$137,387 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
67 ✓ Safer
Population
235,845 ✓ Larger
Syracuse
New York
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$43,584
Violent Crime Index
201⚠ High
Population
146,134
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Arlington, VA
Pros
Households earn $93,803 more per year on average
67% less violent crime than Syracuse
Stronger job market — unemployment is 5.8 pts lower (2.8%)
More college-educated — 76.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (254.4 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 45°F vs 32°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $833,300
Higher rents — median is $2,227/mo
Cost of living runs 13% higher than Syracuse
Longer commutes — 27.7 min average each way
Syracuse, NY
Pros
Homes cost $715k less ($117,900 vs $833,300)
Rent averages $1295/mo less ($932 vs $2,227)
Commutes run 10 min shorter each way
13% cheaper overall cost of living than Arlington
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 90°F
Smaller class sizes — 10.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Arlington by $93,803/yr
Violent crime (765.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4234.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.6% vs 2.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Arlington
Median Income
$93,803
$137,387 vs $43,584/yr
Arlington
Violent Crime
67% lower
254.4 vs 765.3 per 100k
Arlington
Unemployment
5.8 pp lower
2.8% vs 8.6% unemployment
Arlington
Summer Heat
7.9°F warmer
July avg high 89.6°F vs 81.7°F
Syracuse
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 95.2 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
Syracuse
Median Home Value
$715k less
$117,900 vs $833,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Arlington, VA | Syracuse, NY |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 95.2 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $833,300⚠ High | $117,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,227⚠ High | $932 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $137,387 ✓ Higher | $43,584 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.8% ✓ Lower | 8.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.7 min⚠ High | 17.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 27.0% ✓ Higher | 9.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 73 ✓ Safer | 201⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 ✓ Safer | 201⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 ✓ Safer | 202⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B (98) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 | 10.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 76.8% ✓ Higher | 29.7% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 84.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Arlington County Public Schools | SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F ✓ Warmer | 31.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer | 81.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.2" | 43.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.7" ✓ Less | 127.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 235,845 ✓ Larger | 146,134 |
| Median Age | 35.3 ✓ Older | 31.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.2% ✓ Higher | 40.8% |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | 21.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.3% | 13.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Arlington's cost of living index is 108.6 vs Syracuse's 95.2 (US average = 100).
Syracuse is 13% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Arlington leads 15 of 23 categories. Arlington wins 15 and Syracuse wins 8. 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 Arlington to Syracuse or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($833,300 vs $117,900 median home), income ($137,387 vs $43,584), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Arlington, VA and Syracuse, NY are about 292 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.