Onondaga County, NY

County

Add Comparison

2024 Population

471,129

US Senator

Chuck Schumer

Democratic Party

US Senator

Kirsten Gillibrand

Democratic Party

2024 Median Age

39.6

0.253% 1-year increase

2024 Poverty Rate

13.8%

0.904% 1-year decrease

2024 Median Household Income

$76,945

2.95% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$200,200

8.04% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

226,402

0.847% 1-year decline

About

None of the households in Onondaga County, NY reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

96.5% of the residents in Onondaga County, NY are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Onondaga County, NY are Syracuse University (7,441 degrees awarded in 2023), Le Moyne College (1,028 degrees), and Onondaga Community College (825 degrees).

In 2024, the median property value in Onondaga County, NY was $200,200, and the homeownership rate was 65.9%.

Most people in Onondaga County, NY drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 20.2 minutes. The average car ownership in Onondaga County, NY was 2 cars per household.

Onondaga County, NY borders Cayuga County, NY, Cortland County, NY, Madison County, NY, and Oswego County, NY.

About the photo: The Carrier Dome in Downtown Syracuse, Syracuse, New York

Photo by Oliver Hine

United States New York Syracuse, NY

Population & Diversity

Onondaga County, NY is home to a population of 471k people, from which 96.5% are citizens. As of 2024, 7.71% of Onondaga County, NY residents were born outside of the country (36.3k people).

In 2024, there were 7.23 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (348k people) in Onondaga County, NY than any other race or ethnicity. There were 48.1k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 19.3k Asian (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

96.5%

2024 Citizenship

96.6%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 96.5% of Onondaga County, NY residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Onondaga County, NY was 96.6%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Onondaga County, NY compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Onondaga County, NY

White (Non-Hispanic)
348k ± 892
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
48.1k ± 1.37k
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
19.3k ± 474

5.93%

Hispanic Population

27.9k people

5.93% of the people in Onondaga County, NY are hispanic (27.9k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Onondaga County, NY as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for New York.

Most Common Origin

Dominican Republic
493,200 ± 17,027 people
China
410,969 ± 15,575 people
Jamaica
234,174 ± 11,811 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of New York was Dominican Republic, the natal country of 493,200 New York residents, followed by China with 410,969 and Jamaica with 234,174.

Foreign-Born Population

7.71%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

36.3k people

7.45%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

35.1k people

As of 2024, 7.71% of Onondaga County, NY residents (36.3k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Onondaga County, NY was 7.45%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Onondaga County, NY compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
6,668 ± 549
Gulf War (2001-)
4,640 ± 526
Gulf War (1990s)
2,353 ± 321

Onondaga County, NY has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.44 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Onondaga County, NY.

Economy

The economy of Onondaga County, NY employs 226k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Onondaga County, NY were Health Care & Social Assistance (40,598 people), Educational Services (34,168 people), and Retail Trade (24,009 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($100,191), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($99,000), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($77,088).

Employment

Occupations

226k

2024 Value

± 3,453

−0.847%

1 Year decline

± 2.2%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Onondaga County, NY declined at a rate of −0.847%, from 228k employees to 226k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Onondaga County, NY, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (24,850 people), Management Occupations (24,537 people), and Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (21,975 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Onondaga County, NY.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for New York.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in New York (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

226k

2024 Value

± 3,453

−0.847%

1 Year decline

± 2.2%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Onondaga County, NY declined at a rate of −0.847%, from 228k employees to 226k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Onondaga County, NY, are Health Care & Social Assistance (40,598 people), Educational Services (34,168 people), and Retail Trade (24,009 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Onondaga County, NY, though some of these residents may live in Onondaga County, NY and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$58,213

Median earning men ± $1,391

$45,860

Median earning women ± $992

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Public Administration ($84,375), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($78,034), and Manufacturing ($72,033).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Public Administration ($66,385), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($61,527), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($59,380).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for New York.

Y-Axis

2.74%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 9.56M people employed in New York. This represents a 2.74% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 19.7%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in New York.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

737
Other Services (except Public Administration)
684
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
665
Construction

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$2.64M
Health Care and Social Assistance
$1.52M
Manufacturing
$1.13M
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Education

In 2023, universities in Onondaga County, NY awarded 11,404 degrees. The student population of Onondaga County, NY in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 17,527 male students and 22,130 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Onondaga County, NY are White (6,655 and 67.8%), Hispanic or Latino (912 and 9.29%), Black or African American (855 and 8.71%), and Asian (610 and 6.21%).

The largest universities in Onondaga County, NY by number of degrees awarded are Syracuse University (7,441 and 65.2%), Le Moyne College (1,028 and 9.01%), and Onondaga Community College (825 and 7.23%).

The most popular majors in Onondaga County, NY are Registered Nursing (433 and 3.8%), General Business Administration & Management (381 and 3.34%), and General Psychology (374 and 3.28%).

The median tuition costs in Onondaga County, NY are $37,770 for private four year colleges, and $7,070 and $17,940 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2023 in Onondaga County, NY, the percentage of applicants admitted was 49.2%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 17.9%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 39,657 (44.2% men and 55.8% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2023 there were 39,657 students enrolled in Onondaga County, NY, 44.2% men and 55.8% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 22,557 records, of which 56.7% were women and 43.3% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Psychology
361 degrees awarded
General Finance
212 degrees awarded
General Marketing & Marketing Management
183 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Onondaga County, NY was General Psychology with 361 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Onondaga County, NY according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Syracuse University
7,441 degrees awarded
Le Moyne College
1,028 degrees awarded
Onondaga Community College
825 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Syracuse University with 7,441 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 5,076 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Onondaga County, NY, which is 0.802 times less than the 6,328 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 6,655 degrees mean that there were 7.3 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 912 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($37,770) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,575) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,690) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Onondaga County, NY was $200,200 in 2024, which is 0.602 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $185,300 to $200,200, a 8.04% increase. The homeownership rate in Onondaga County, NY is 65.9%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Onondaga County, NY have an average commute time of 20.2 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Onondaga County, NY is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 14.9% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Onondaga County, NY. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 0.00415%.

Housing

Property

$200,200

Median Property Value 2024

±$3,012

$130,389

Median Property Taxes

±$2,235

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Onondaga County, NY the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Onondaga County, NY compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

65.9%

Homeownership

2024

62.2%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 65.9% of the housing units in Onondaga County, NY were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 65.7%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Onondaga County, NY compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$76,945

Median Household Income

± $1,228

198k

Number of Households

± 3,331

In 2024, the median household income of the 198k households in Onondaga County, NY grew to $76,945 from the previous year's value of $74,740.

The following chart displays the households in Onondaga County, NY distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Onondaga County, NY is from New York.

0.493

2023 Wage GINI in New York

0.494

2022 Wage GINI in New York

In 2023, the income inequality in New York was 0.493 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.0797% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for New York was higher than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed less evenly in New York in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in New York across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (71.7%)
Worked At Home (13.1%)
Carpooled (7.63%)

In 2024, 71.7% of workers in Onondaga County, NY drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (13.1%) and those who carpooled to work (7.63%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

20.2 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Onondaga County, NY have a shorter commute time (20.2 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 1.7% of the workforce in Onondaga County, NY have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Onondaga County, NY compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Onondaga County, NY distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Onondaga County, NY have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 14.9% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Onondaga County, NY. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 0.00415%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

13.8% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Onondaga County, NY (62k out of 449k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Females 35 - 44.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Onondaga County, NY is White, followed by Black and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2025, 19.2% of the children was living in poverty in Onondaga County, NY. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 2.5%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 318 in Onondaga County, NY. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 38.1 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

Health

96.7% of the population of Onondaga County, NY has health coverage, with 48.9% on employee plans, 20.7% on Medicaid, 13.3% on Medicare, 12.4% on non-group plans, and 1.37% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Onondaga County, NY see 1,083 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,083 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1312 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 283 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.6% were men and 51.4% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,083 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Onondaga County, NY

Primary care physicians in Onondaga County, NY see an average of 1,083 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,083 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Onondaga County, NY in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 22.9% under 18 years, 21.4% between 18 and 34 years, 37.5% between 35 and 64 years, and 18.2% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.6% were men and 51.4% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

3.3%

Uninsured

48.9%

Employer Coverage

20.7%

Medicaid

13.3%

Medicare

12.4%

Non-Group

1.37%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Onondaga County, NY declined by 0.918% from 3.33% to 3.3%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Onondaga County, NY changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2025, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 45.3 in Onondaga County, NY.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Onondaga County, NY.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 35.1% in Onondaga County, NY.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Onondaga County, NY.