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Buying a home in Syracuse, New York

The typical owner-occupied home in Syracuse is worth about $138,400, 67% below the New York median of $423,800 and 58% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $3,210 a year in property taxes, about 2.32% of their home's value, higher than the New York rate of 1.55%. The median household earns $47,819 a year, so the median home costs 2.9 times the median income (4.9 times for New York). 42% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 60% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Syracuse at a glance

Syracuse New York U.S.
Median home value $138,400 $423,800 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $3,210 $6,582 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 2.32% 1.55% 0.94%
Median household income $47,819 $85,974 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 42% 54% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 60% 58% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,238 $2,555 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 18.7% 22.5% 21.0%
Median rent $1,039 $1,621 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 32.9% 31.2% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1948 1959 1980
Vacant homes 11.5% 10.0% 10.1%
Population 146,384 19,852,366 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Syracuse

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Syracuse home of $138,400 with 20% down costs about $1,070 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,301, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.

Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $45,860 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 27% of the median Syracuse household income of $47,819; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $144,000.

The median rent here is $1,039 a month, so owning the median home costs about $31 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$27,680
Loan amount$110,720
Principal and interest$745
Property taxes (2.32% a year)$268
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$58
PMI$0
Total per month$1,070

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$4,844
Loan amount$135,893
Principal and interest$914
Property taxes (2.32% a year)$268
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$58
FHA mortgage insurance$61
Total per month$1,301

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Questions about home buying in Syracuse

What is the median home value in Syracuse?

About $138,400 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Syracuse?

Homeowners pay a median $3,210 a year, which is about 2.32% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.

What income do you need to buy a home in Syracuse?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,070 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $45,860 a year.

More about Syracuse

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data