Population 471,129 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Onondaga County
Household size in Onondaga County
| Period | Onondaga County | Syracuse area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.50 | 2.51 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.47 | 2.50 | 2.72 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.44 | 2.46 | 2.69 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.32 | 2.34 | 2.65 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.18 | −0.17 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Onondaga County is a place of small households, averaging 2.32 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. The picture is much the same across the Syracuse area. Household size has dropped from 2.50 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Onondaga County
| Period | Onondaga County | Syracuse area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.1 | 38.9 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.8 | 39.7 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.6 | 40.7 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.2 | 41.4 | 40.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.1 | +2.5 | +2.5 | +2.3 |
At 41.2, the median age in Onondaga County is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The median age has climbed from 39.1 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Residents skew youngest in the center and oldest in the southwest.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Onondaga County
| Period | Onondaga County | Syracuse area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.6% | 12.1% | 13.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.5% | 12.1% | 12.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.3% | 12.0% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.2% | 11.4% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −0.7 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Onondaga County as they are nationally: 11.2%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged down 1.4 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Onondaga County
Renters in Onondaga County
| Period | Onondaga County | Syracuse area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.0% | 31.6% | 44.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 34.8% | 32.9% | 46.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.3% | 32.9% | 46.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 34.1% | 31.6% | 45.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.0 pts | −0.0 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Onondaga County is about as common as it is nationally: 34.1% of households rent, against 34.8%. Just over four in ten owners (42.3%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the southwest.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Onondaga County
| Period | Onondaga County | Syracuse area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.2% | 11.2% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.0% | 11.4% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.0% | 13.0% | 11.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.2% | 9.4% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.0 pts | −1.8 pts | −0.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Onondaga County is close to the national rate: 8.2% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 2.0 points, as it has nationally. Onondaga County has a lower vacancy rate than at least four in five New York counties.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Onondaga County
| Period | Onondaga County | Syracuse area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1961 | 1962 | 1956 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1963 | 1963 | 1957 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1963 | 1964 | 1958 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1966 | 1967 | 1961 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Onondaga County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1966, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1961 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the center has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Onondaga County
| Period | Onondaga County | Syracuse area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $753 | $748 | $1,095 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $809 | $794 | $1,201 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $943 | $911 | $1,426 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,199 | $1,138 | $1,794 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$445 | +$390 | +$698 | +$606 |
Rent in Onondaga County runs $1,199 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Still, rents here are higher than in the Syracuse area overall ($1,138). Rents are up $445 a month from 2006–10, a 59% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 32.2% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Onondaga County
Bachelor's degrees in Onondaga County
| Period | Onondaga County | Syracuse area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.2% | 28.7% | 31.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 34.0% | 30.7% | 33.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.5% | 31.8% | 36.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 39.8% | 35.8% | 39.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.6 pts | +7.2 pts | +8.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a bit more common in Onondaga County than nationally: 39.8% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 7.6 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the southeast and least in the center.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Onondaga County
| Period | Onondaga County | Syracuse area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.1% | 88.6% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.5% | 89.1% | 84.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.5% | 90.3% | 86.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.6% | 91.3% | 87.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.5 pts | +2.7 pts | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Onondaga County have finished high school (91.6%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of the Syracuse area. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 2.5 points, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Onondaga County
| Period | Onondaga County | Syracuse area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.8% | 7.3% | 7.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.4% | 8.5% | 9.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.8% | 5.8% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.4% | 5.6% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −1.7 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.4%, unemployment in Onondaga County is the same as the national rate. Since 2006–10, unemployment has edged down 1.4 points, mirroring the country. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Onondaga County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Onondaga County | 2.32 | 41.2 | 11.2% | 34.1% | 8.2% | 1966 | $1,199 | 39.8% | 91.6% | 5.4% |
| Cayuga County | 2.32 | 44.3 | 12.1% | 28.6% | 13.5% | 1957 | $1,054 | 24.7% | 90.0% | 3.7% |
| Madison County | 2.32 | 42.5 | 9.5% | 21.7% | 13.9% | 1963 | $962 | 31.5% | 92.7% | 4.3% |
| Oneida County | 2.33 | 41.9 | 12.7% | 32.3% | 10.3% | 1958 | $1,025 | 27.4% | 87.8% | 4.9% |
| Wayne County | 2.32 | 43.9 | 9.5% | 20.1% | 9.1% | 1966 | $961 | 25.6% | 90.9% | 3.6% |
| Ontario County | 2.28 | 45.1 | 9.2% | 26.3% | 8.5% | 1973 | $1,220 | 38.2% | 93.5% | 3.6% |
| Herkimer County | 2.31 | 44.8 | 10.1% | 23.4% | 16.1% | 1958 | $838 | 24.6% | 91.7% | 4.4% |
| Monroe County | 2.37 | 41.3 | 12.1% | 36.3% | 7.5% | 1966 | $1,296 | 40.8% | 91.7% | 5.2% |
| Montgomery County | 2.54 | 40.2 | 11.1% | 29.6% | 14.4% | 1954 | $917 | 23.3% | 88.5% | 4.4% |
| Fulton County | 2.29 | 44.8 | 12.5% | 28.6% | 16.5% | 1958 | $945 | 21.7% | 90.0% | 3.4% |
| Genesee County | 2.32 | 43.0 | 9.1% | 26.2% | 5.8% | 1955 | $924 | 23.9% | 92.9% | 4.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Sonoma County, CA · Hampden County, MA · Hillsborough County, NH · Jefferson Parish, LA · Kane County, IL · Knox County, TN · Loudoun County, VA · Plymouth County, MA · Sedgwick County, KS · Seminole County, FL
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Onondaga County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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