Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Dearborn, MI
VS
Syracuse, NY
🏆 Dearborn leads 16 of 23 categories
Dearborn
Michigan
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0
Median Household Income
$64,600 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
77 ✓ Safer
Population
108,414
Syracuse
New York
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$43,584
Violent Crime Index
201⚠ High
Population
146,134 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Dearborn, MI
Pros
62% less violent crime than Syracuse
Households earn $21,016 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.8 pts lower (6.8%)
More college-educated — 34.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Cost of living runs 3% higher than Syracuse
Syracuse, NY
Pros
Homes cost $72k less ($117,900 vs $189,400)
Rent averages $273/mo less ($932 vs $1,205)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 10.9:1 student-teacher ratio
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Dearborn
Cons
Median income trails Dearborn by $21,016/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 6.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Dearborn
Median Income
$21,016
$64,600 vs $43,584/yr
Dearborn
Violent Crime
62% lower
292.6 vs 765.3 per 100k
Dearborn
Unemployment
1.8 pp lower
6.8% vs 8.6% unemployment
Syracuse
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 95.2 vs 98.0 (100 = US avg)
Syracuse
Median Home Value
$72k less
$117,900 vs $189,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Dearborn, MI | Syracuse, NY |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 | 95.2 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $189,400 | $117,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,205 | $932 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $64,600 ✓ Higher | $43,584 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 8.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.3 min | 17.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.9% ✓ Higher | 9.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 84 ✓ Safer | 201⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 77 ✓ Safer | 201⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 95 ✓ Safer | 202⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | B (98) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.8:1 | 10.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.8% ✓ Higher | 29.7% |
| High School or Higher | 85.1% ✓ Higher | 84.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Dearborn City School District | SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 32.0°F ✓ Warmer | 31.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 83.6°F ✓ Warmer | 81.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 35.0" ✓ Drier | 43.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 30.8" ✓ Less | 127.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 108,414 | 146,134 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 32.3 ✓ Older | 31.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 69.1% ✓ Higher | 40.8% |
| Under 18 | 28.6% ✓ More | 21.0% |
| Over 65 | 12.9% | 13.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Dearborn's cost of living index is 98.0 vs Syracuse's 95.2 (US average = 100).
Syracuse is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Dearborn leads 16 of 23 categories. Dearborn wins 16 and Syracuse wins 7. 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 Dearborn to Syracuse or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($189,400 vs $117,900 median home), income ($64,600 vs $43,584), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Dearborn, MI and Syracuse, NY are about 362 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.