City comparison
Syracuse, NY is about 50 miles (80 km) from Utica, NY in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 60 miles, or about 58 min 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 Syracuse, NY to Utica, NY takes about 6 min, covering roughly 50 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 64,728 in Utica — about 2.3× larger by population. By land area, Syracuse covers about 25 sq mi vs 17 sq mi for Utica.
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 | Syracuse | Utica | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $932/mo | $873/mo | 6.8% higher in Syracuse |
| Median home value | $117,900 | $123,800 | 5.0% higher in Utica |
| Median household income | $43,584 | $48,212 | 10.6% higher in Utica |
| Groceries index | 99.8 | 99.8 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 130.3 | 129.0 | 1.1% 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 Syracuse, you'd need $93,671 in Utica to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Utica, NY is about 6.3% cheaper overall than Syracuse, NY, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 21% higher in Syracuse than in Utica. If you earn $80,000 in Syracuse, you'd need about $74,937 in Utica to keep the same standard of living.