Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Aurora, IL
VS
Syracuse, NY
🏆 Aurora leads 15 of 23 categories
Aurora
Illinois
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$85,943 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
70 ✓ Safer
Population
181,405 ✓ 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.
Aurora, IL
Pros
Households earn $42,359 more per year on average
65% less violent crime than Syracuse
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.0 pts lower (5.6%)
More college-educated — 35.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,462/mo
Longer commutes — 28.6 min average each way
Cost of living runs 7% higher than Syracuse
Syracuse, NY
Pros
Homes cost $124k less ($117,900 vs $241,600)
Rent averages $530/mo less ($932 vs $1,462)
Commutes run 11 min shorter each way
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Aurora
Smaller class sizes — 10.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Aurora by $42,359/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 5.6%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Aurora
Median Income
$42,359
$85,943 vs $43,584/yr
Aurora
Violent Crime
65% lower
266.0 vs 765.3 per 100k
Aurora
Unemployment
3.0 pp lower
5.6% vs 8.6% unemployment
Syracuse
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 95.2 vs 102.6 (100 = US avg)
Syracuse
Median Home Value
$124k less
$117,900 vs $241,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Aurora, IL | Syracuse, NY |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.6⚠ High | 95.2 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $241,600 | $117,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,462⚠ High | $932 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $85,943 ✓ Higher | $43,584 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 8.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High | 17.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 12.1% ✓ Higher | 9.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 66 ✓ Safer | 201⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 70 ✓ Safer | 201⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 60 ✓ Safer | 202⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (105) ✓ Better | B (98) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.5:1 | 10.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 35.2% ✓ Higher | 29.7% |
| High School or Higher | 80.9% | 84.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Indian Prairie CUSD 204 | SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 30.5°F | 31.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.0°F ✓ Warmer | 81.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 39.5" ✓ Drier | 43.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 27.9" ✓ Less | 127.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 181,405 ✓ Larger | 146,134 |
| Median Age | 35.4 ✓ Older | 31.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.8% ✓ Higher | 40.8% |
| Under 18 | 26.7% ✓ More | 21.0% |
| Over 65 | 10.5% | 13.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Aurora's cost of living index is 102.6 vs Syracuse's 95.2 (US average = 100).
Syracuse is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Aurora leads 15 of 23 categories. Aurora 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 Aurora to Syracuse or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($241,600 vs $117,900 median home), income ($85,943 vs $43,584), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Aurora, IL and Syracuse, NY are about 625 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.