Median household income · 2020–2024 [1]
03 / Employment
Work, income & wages
Having a job, earning a wage, and achieving household financial security are related—but different—measures.
01 / EVIDENCE & ANALYSIS
Median household income
Syracuse’s median household income is $47,819 in 2024 dollars for the 2020–2024 survey period. The paper reports a mean household income of $67,230. [1] [3]
The median is the middle value, not the arithmetic average. A household can include multiple earners and income other than wages, so household income should not be treated as the salary of a typical worker. Neither measure captures accumulated wealth, debt, or differences in household needs.
Paper transcription
Median and mean household income [3]
Data is available in the table below. Enable JavaScript to use the interactive chart.
Amounts are in 2024 inflation-adjusted dollars. The median splits households into two equal halves; the mean is total household income divided by the number of households. A higher mean suggests the upper end pulls up the average. [3]
Research manuscript, pp. 11, 30–31 · Reviewed 30 September 2026
View accessible data table
| Category | Household income |
|---|---|
| Median (middle household) | $47,819 |
| Mean (arithmetic average) | $67,230 |
02 / EVIDENCE & ANALYSIS
Income distribution
The income brackets show more detail than a single median. The paper reports 11.4% of households below $10,000, 16.0% at $50,000–$74,999, and 4.0% at $200,000 or more. [3]
These are shares of households in income brackets, not shares of the city’s total income. They describe a broad spread of resources but cannot, by themselves, establish how much wealth is concentrated at the top.
Paper transcription
Household income distribution [3]
Data is available in the table below. Enable JavaScript to use the interactive chart.
59,816 households. Percentages total 99.9% because of rounding. Bracket counts in the early draft contain a transcription inconsistency, so this chart uses the consistent percentage distribution on page 11. Income brackets do not measure wealth or each group’s share of all income. [3]
Research manuscript, pp. 4–5, 11, 31 · Reviewed 30 September 2026
View accessible data table
| Category | Share of households |
|---|---|
| Below $10,000 | 11.4% |
| $10,000–$14,999 | 6.7% |
| $15,000–$24,999 | 11.5% |
| $25,000–$34,999 | 9.6% |
| $35,000–$49,999 | 12.3% |
| $50,000–$74,999 | 16% |
| $75,000–$99,999 | 11.4% |
| $100,000–$149,999 | 12.2% |
| $150,000–$199,999 | 4.8% |
| $200,000 or more | 4% |
03 / EVIDENCE & ANALYSIS
Unemployment and the working population
The paper’s 7.7% city unemployment estimate comes from the ACS multiyear data, while the 3.9% figure refers to the Syracuse metropolitan area in June 2026. Both are meaningful, but they describe different populations, periods, and statistical programs. [8] [5]
The city draft lists 119,578 people age 16 and older and 62,634 civilian employed residents. The larger figure must not be labeled employed. The metro count includes communities beyond Syracuse and is shown separately below. [8]
Source checked
Metro labor force: employment and unemployment [5]
Data is available in the table below. Enable JavaScript to use the interactive chart.
Not seasonally adjusted. BLS reports a labor force of 318,900 and an unemployment rate of 3.9%. The June column was checked on 30 September 2026; the draft’s counts correspond to May. This monthly metro rate is not directly comparable with the city’s ACS multiyear rate. [5]
Research manuscript, pp. 21, 34 · Reviewed 30 September 2026
View accessible data table
| Category | People |
|---|---|
| Employed | 306,400 |
| Unemployed | 12,500 |
Paper transcription
Occupations held by employed city residents [8]
Data is available in the table below. Enable JavaScript to use the interactive chart.
62,634 civilian employed residents age 16 and older. The draft’s 119,578 is the population age 16 and older, not the number employed. These are residents’ occupations, not a count of jobs located inside city boundaries. [8]
Research manuscript, p. 5 · Reviewed 30 September 2026
View accessible data table
| Category | Share of civilian employed residents |
|---|---|
| Management, business, science, and arts | 41.3% |
| Service | 22.3% |
| Sales and office | 18.8% |
| Natural resources, construction, and maintenance | 4% |
| Production, transportation, and material moving | 13.6% |
04 / EVIDENCE & ANALYSIS
Employment does not guarantee freedom from poverty
Among residents age 16 and older in the paper’s poverty table, 3.7% of people who worked full time, year-round were below poverty. The corresponding rates were 29.5% for people who worked part time or part year and 43.6% for people who did not work. [2]
This pattern supports examining hours, continuity of work, and household needs alongside unemployment. It does not show why a person worked fewer hours or did not work; caregiving, education, health, and access to suitable jobs may all matter.
Paper transcription
Poverty by work experience [2]
Data is available in the table below. Enable JavaScript to use the interactive chart.
Residents age 16 and older with poverty status determined. Work experience refers to the past 12 months. Household composition and other circumstances also affect poverty status. [2]
Research manuscript, pp. 6–7, 31 · Reviewed 30 September 2026
View accessible data table
| Category | Below the poverty line |
|---|---|
| Worked full time, year-round | 3.7% |
| Worked part time or part year | 29.5% |
| Did not work | 43.6% |
05 / EVIDENCE & ANALYSIS
Employment by industry
The metropolitan economy has jobs across education and health services, government, trade, business services, and other industries. This chart uses the revised June 2026 values from BLS’s September release. [5]
Large employment totals establish the scale and composition of the regional economy. They do not establish how many vacancies exist, whether residents can reach those jobs, or whether a worker’s skills match an employer’s requirements. The evidence therefore does not prove that Syracuse has enough accessible jobs for everyone.
Source checked
Employment by industry [5]
Data is available in the table below. Enable JavaScript to use the interactive chart.
Not seasonally adjusted. Values use the revised BLS June column, totaling 324,900 jobs. Several differ from the paper’s August extraction. Jobs are not unique workers or unfilled vacancies. BLS reports 12-month changes, not year-to-date changes. [5]
Research manuscript, pp. 21–22, 34 · Reviewed 30 September 2026
View accessible data table
| Category | Payroll jobs |
|---|---|
| Mining, logging, and construction | 13,700 |
| Manufacturing | 25,500 |
| Trade, transportation, and utilities | 60,800 |
| Information | 2,700 |
| Financial activities | 13,200 |
| Professional and business services | 41,800 |
| Education and health services | 63,600 |
| Leisure and hospitality | 28,900 |
| Other services | 11,600 |
| Government | 63,100 |
06 / EVIDENCE & ANALYSIS
Wage inequality
BLS’s May 2025 metro table places the median annual wage at $52,990. The $67,470 value labeled as a median in the draft is the mean. The 10th- and 90th-percentile wages are $34,290 and $112,260, respectively. [18]
Dividing the two thresholds gives a ratio of 3.27. This measures dispersion among wages, not the wealth gap between households. Claims about the national ratio, the top 1%, or groups’ shares of total income are not supported by the selected table and are not repeated here.
Source checked
The wage distribution [18]
Data is available in the table below. Enable JavaScript to use the interactive chart.
The 90th-percentile wage is 3.27 times the 10th-percentile wage. The mean is $67,470, not the median. This ratio compares two wage thresholds; it does not compare the total incomes of the richest and poorest groups. OEWS excludes self-employed workers. [18]
Research manuscript, pp. 24, 34 · Reviewed 30 September 2026
View accessible data table
| Category | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $34,290 |
| 25th percentile | $38,760 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $52,990 |
| 75th percentile | $79,140 |
| 90th percentile | $112,260 |
07 / EVIDENCE & ANALYSIS
Higher- and lower-wage occupations
Selected occupations illustrate how wage levels differ within the same regional economy. Switch between medians and means to see why consistent definitions matter: a few very high wages can pull a mean above the median. [18]
The employment chart gives a second perspective on scale. The source reports jobs per 1,000 as well as employment counts. For example, home health and personal care aides represent about 2.77% of OEWS employment, not the 27.7% stated in the draft. These selected occupations are not a complete accounting of all jobs. [18]
Source checked
Wages across selected occupations [18]
Data is available in the table below. Enable JavaScript to use the interactive chart.
Select median or mean to compare like with like. The paper’s occupation figures match annual means. For most occupations, BLS annualizes hourly wages using 2,080 hours; actual annual earnings depend on hours worked. [18]
Research manuscript, pp. 22–26, 34–35 · Reviewed 30 September 2026
View accessible data table
| Category | Median annual wage | Mean annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Chief executives | $216,610 | $304,140 |
| Financial managers | $169,270 | $185,530 |
| Construction managers | $132,760 | $141,660 |
| Education administrators, K–12 | $110,010 | $117,270 |
| Computer systems analysts | $95,380 | $99,000 |
| Software developers | $129,100 | $130,980 |
| Lawyers | $128,910 | $156,340 |
| Registered nurses | $86,960 | $89,850 |
| Home health and personal care aides | $37,440 | $39,870 |
| Fast food and counter workers | $33,940 | $34,880 |
| Janitors and cleaners | $38,230 | $40,900 |
| Cashiers | $33,950 | $34,700 |
| Retail salespersons | $35,250 | $39,480 |
Source checked
Employment in selected occupations [18]
Data is available in the table below. Enable JavaScript to use the interactive chart.
Selected occupations are not the whole workforce. Home health and personal care aides account for about 2.77% of the 300,130 jobs covered by OEWS, not 27.7%. The original draft confused jobs per 1,000 with percentages. [18]
Research manuscript, pp. 24–26 · Reviewed 30 September 2026
View accessible data table
| Category | Estimated employment |
|---|---|
| Chief executives | 240 |
| Financial managers | 1,220 |
| Construction managers | 320 |
| Education administrators, K–12 | 760 |
| Computer systems analysts | 650 |
| Software developers | 2,180 |
| Lawyers | 1,190 |
| Registered nurses | 8,180 |
| Home health and personal care aides | 8,310 |
| Fast food and counter workers | 6,750 |
| Janitors and cleaners | 6,010 |
| Cashiers | 6,140 |
| Retail salespersons | 8,150 |