Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Santa Ana, CA
VS
Syracuse, NY
🏆 Santa Ana leads 13 of 23 categories
Santa Ana
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$84,210 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
130⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
311,379 ✓ Larger
Syracuse
New York
10
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.
Santa Ana, CA
Pros
Households earn $40,626 more per year on average
36% less violent crime than Syracuse
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.1 pts lower (5.5%)
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 32°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $624,000
Higher rents — median is $1,885/mo
Violent crime (493.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 20% higher than Syracuse
Syracuse, NY
Pros
Homes cost $506k less ($117,900 vs $624,000)
Rent averages $953/mo less ($932 vs $1,885)
20% cheaper overall cost of living than Santa Ana
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 29.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 10.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Santa Ana by $40,626/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 5.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Santa Ana
Median Income
$40,626
$84,210 vs $43,584/yr
Santa Ana
Violent Crime
36% lower
493.1 vs 765.3 per 100k
Santa Ana
Unemployment
3.1 pp lower
5.5% vs 8.6% unemployment
Syracuse
Cost of Living
20% cheaper
COL index 95.2 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Syracuse
Median Home Value
$506k less
$117,900 vs $624,000
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Santa Ana, CA | Syracuse, NY |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 95.2 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $624,000⚠ High | $117,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,885⚠ High | $932 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $84,210 ✓ Higher | $43,584 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 8.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.0 min | 17.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.0% | 9.3% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 110⚠ High ✓ Safer | 201⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 130⚠ High ✓ Safer | 201⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 81 ✓ Safer | 202⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (84) | B (98) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.0:1 | 10.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 17.9% | 29.7% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 65.2% | 84.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Santa Ana 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 | 311,379 ✓ Larger | 146,134 |
| Median Age | 33.4 ✓ Older | 31.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 44.8% ✓ Higher | 40.8% |
| Under 18 | 24.1% ✓ More | 21.0% |
| Over 65 | 10.6% | 13.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Santa Ana'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 23 decided categories above, Santa Ana leads 13 of 23 categories. Santa Ana wins 13 and Syracuse wins 10. 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 Santa Ana to Syracuse or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($624,000 vs $117,900 median home), income ($84,210 vs $43,584), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Santa Ana, CA and Syracuse, NY are about 2,324 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.