Cayuga, Madison, Onondaga and Oswego Counties

Tables of selected demographics ››

This area is dominated by the city of Syracuse and its county of Onondaga, which includes more than 60 percent of the four-county population. Over the past decade, Onondaga County's population has declined slightly, but the rest of these counties have seen stable population levels. Its demographic mix is fairly diverse, mainly in Onondaga County—an above-average, though small, 1 percent of the population is of American Indian descent.

On most dimensions, this metro area roughly resembles the United States as a whole. Median household income was close to $40,000 in 1999, below the New York State median and slightly below the nationwide level; Onondaga and Madison are somewhat more affluent than Oswego and Cayuga (see table below).

According to the 2000 Census, 24 percent of adults held a college degree—on par with the United States, but again below the statewide average. Onondaga residents are more likely to hold college degrees than residents of the other counties. The median price of homes sold in the first half of 2006 ranged from $78,000 in Oswego County to roughly $125,000 in both Onondaga and Madison.

The Syracuse area's industry mix closely parallels the nation's. Manufacturing accounts for 12 percent of employment, slightly above the national average. In general, this area's economy has tracked fairly closely with the state, as well as the nation as a whole. During and after the recent recession, this area's job market was more resilient than most upstate areas.

Employment grew at a roughly 1 percent pace in 2005 and has expanded a bit faster in 2006. In July 2006, employment eclipsed its early 2001 peak, though private-sector employment remained below its earlier peak. Syracuse has outpaced most upstate areas in terms of home price appreciation as well: home prices have risen at a nearly 8 percent pace in 2006, after similar gains in 2004 and 2005.