Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Murrieta, CA
VS
Syracuse, NY
🏆 Murrieta leads 15 of 23 categories
Murrieta
California
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$106,925 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
48 ✓ Safer
Population
111,899
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 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Murrieta, CA
Pros
Households earn $63,341 more per year on average
76% less violent crime than Syracuse
Violent crime is well below the national average (183.7 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.9 pts lower (6.7%)
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 32°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $567,700
Higher rents — median is $2,150/mo
Cost of living runs 13% higher than Syracuse
Longer commutes — 35.0 min average each way
Syracuse, NY
Pros
Homes cost $450k less ($117,900 vs $567,700)
Rent averages $1218/mo less ($932 vs $2,150)
Commutes run 17 min shorter each way
13% cheaper overall cost of living than Murrieta
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 87°F
Smaller class sizes — 10.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Murrieta by $63,341/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 6.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Murrieta
Median Income
$63,341
$106,925 vs $43,584/yr
Murrieta
Violent Crime
76% lower
183.7 vs 765.3 per 100k
Murrieta
Unemployment
1.9 pp lower
6.7% vs 8.6% unemployment
Murrieta
Summer Heat
5.5°F warmer
July avg high 87.2°F vs 81.7°F
Syracuse
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 95.2 vs 107.9 (100 = US avg)
Syracuse
Median Home Value
$450k less
$117,900 vs $567,700
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Murrieta, CA | Syracuse, NY |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 107.9⚠ High | 95.2 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $567,700⚠ High | $117,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,150⚠ High | $932 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $106,925 ✓ Higher | $43,584 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 8.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 35.0 min⚠ High | 17.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.2% ✓ Higher | 9.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 47 ✓ Safer | 201⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 48 ✓ Safer | 201⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 ✓ Safer | 202⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (93) | B (98) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.4:1 | 10.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 29.9% ✓ Higher | 29.7% |
| High School or Higher | 92.5% ✓ Higher | 84.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Murrieta Valley Unified | SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.5°F ✓ Warmer | 31.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.2°F ✓ Warmer | 81.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 13.9" ✓ Drier | 43.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.2" ✓ Less | 127.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 111,899 | 146,134 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.6 ✓ Older | 31.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 67.5% ✓ Higher | 40.8% |
| Under 18 | 27.2% ✓ More | 21.0% |
| Over 65 | 12.3% | 13.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Murrieta's cost of living index is 107.9 vs Syracuse's 95.2 (US average = 100).
Syracuse is 13% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Murrieta leads 15 of 23 categories. Murrieta 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 Murrieta to Syracuse or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($567,700 vs $117,900 median home), income ($106,925 vs $43,584), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Murrieta, CA and Syracuse, NY are about 2,295 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.