Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Orange, CA
VS
Syracuse, NY
🏆 Orange leads 15 of 22 categories
Orange
California
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$109,335 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
60 ✓ Safer
Population
138,728
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.
Orange, CA
Pros
Households earn $65,751 more per year on average
70% less violent crime than Syracuse
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.9 pts lower (4.7%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (226.1 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 32°F
More college-educated — 40.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $848,200
Higher rents — median is $2,148/mo
Cost of living runs 20% higher than Syracuse
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Syracuse, NY
Pros
Homes cost $730k less ($117,900 vs $848,200)
Rent averages $1216/mo less ($932 vs $2,148)
20% cheaper overall cost of living than Orange
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 10.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Orange by $65,751/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 4.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Orange
Median Income
$65,751
$109,335 vs $43,584/yr
Orange
Violent Crime
70% lower
226.1 vs 765.3 per 100k
Orange
Unemployment
3.9 pp lower
4.7% vs 8.6% unemployment
Syracuse
Cost of Living
20% cheaper
COL index 95.2 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Syracuse
Median Home Value
$730k less
$117,900 vs $848,200
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Orange, CA | Syracuse, NY |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 95.2 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $848,200⚠ High | $117,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,148⚠ High | $932 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $109,335 ✓ Higher | $43,584 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 8.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.5 min | 17.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.1% ✓ Higher | 9.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 ✓ Safer | 201⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 60 ✓ Safer | 201⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 61 ✓ Safer | 202⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (98) | B (98) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.1:1 | 10.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.3% ✓ Higher | 29.7% |
| High School or Higher | 88.2% ✓ Higher | 84.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Orange Unified | SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 31.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F ✓ Warmer | 81.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" ✓ Drier | 43.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 127.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 138,728 | 146,134 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.5 ✓ Older | 31.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 58.9% ✓ Higher | 40.8% |
| Under 18 | 20.5% | 21.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.5% ✓ More | 13.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Orange's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Syracuse's 95.2 (US average = 100).
Syracuse is 20% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Orange leads 15 of 22 categories. Orange wins 15 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 Orange to Syracuse or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($848,200 vs $117,900 median home), income ($109,335 vs $43,584), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Orange, CA and Syracuse, NY are about 2,321 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.