City comparison
Niagara Falls, NY is about 150 miles (225 km) from Syracuse, NY in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 175 miles, or about 3 h behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Niagara Falls, NY to Syracuse, NY takes about 17 min, covering roughly 150 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Syracuse has a population of 146,134, vs 48,502 in Niagara Falls — about 3.0× larger by population. By land area, Syracuse covers about 25 sq mi vs 14 sq mi for Niagara Falls.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Niagara Falls | Syracuse | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $763/mo | $932/mo | 22.1% higher in Syracuse |
| Median home value | $94,900 | $117,900 | 24.2% higher in Syracuse |
| Median household income | $45,932 | $43,584 | 5.4% higher in Niagara Falls |
| Groceries index | 99.8 | 99.8 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 126.8 | 130.3 | 2.8% higher in Syracuse |
| Transportation index | 97.6 | 97.6 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 98.4 | 98.4 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Niagara Falls, you'd need $100,754 in Syracuse to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Niagara Falls, NY is about 0.7% cheaper overall than Syracuse, NY, based on our cost-of-living index. If you earn $80,000 in Niagara Falls, you'd need about $80,603 in Syracuse to keep the same standard of living.