Syracuse, NY (Southwest)

Many things matter about a neighborhood, but the first thing most people notice is the way a neighborhood looks and its particular character. For example, one might notice whether the buildings all date from a certain time period or whether shop signs are in multiple languages. This particular neighborhood in Syracuse, the Southwest neighborhood, has some outstanding things about the way it looks and its way of life that are worth highlighting.

People

Single parenting is hard. But you don't have to tell the Southwest neighborhood about it; they already know. 48.1% of this neighborhood's households are run by single mothers, which is a higher concentration than NeighborhoodScout found in 100.0% of American neighborhoods. Further NeighborhoodScout research showed strong statistical correlations among high rates of children living in single parent households, and neighborhood crime, particularly violent crime, neighborhood poverty, and, importantly, the percentage of low weight births and rates of infant mortality.

In addition, one of the unique characteristics of the Southwest neighborhood revealed by analysis is that the per capita income of residents here is lower than that found in 99.7% of the neighborhoods in America. Also of note, 85.4% of the children in this area live in poverty; an extraordinarily high percentage compared to other neighborhoods in the nation. In a nation where approximately one in four children grows up in poverty, this neighborhood stands out for the depth of the problem manifested here.

Also, the Southwest neighborhood is unique for having just 3.3% of adults here having earned a bachelor's degree. This is a lower rate of college graduates than NeighborhoodScout found in 98.4% of America's neighborhoods.

Modes of Transportation

More people ride the bus in this neighborhood each day to get to work than 99.6% of U.S. neighborhoods.

Also, more people in Southwest choose to walk to work each day (14.2%) than almost any neighborhood in America. If you are attracted to the idea of being able to walk to work, this neighborhood could be a good choice.

Car Ownership

Most American households own a car or other vehicle. Many own two cars or perhaps three. In the United States, it is useful to have an automobile not only for commuting, but also for shopping and getting to other services one needs. But NeighborhoodScout's analysis revealed that households in the Southwest neighborhood have a highly unusual car ownership. 56.2% of the households in this neighborhood don't own a car at all. This is more carless households than NeighborhoodScout found in 99.0% of U.S. neighborhoods.

Length of Commute

Regardless of the means by which residents commute, this neighborhood has a length of commute that is notable. Residents of the Southwest neighborhood have the pleasure of having one of the shortest commutes to work of any neighborhood in America. 70.8% of the residents have a commute time from home to work (one way) of less than fifteen minutes. This is a higher proportion of residents enjoying a short trip to work than NeighborhoodScout found in 98.7% of U.S. neighborhoods. Less time commuting means more time for other things in life.

Real Estate

95.4% of the real estate in the Southwest neighborhood is occupied by renters, which is nearly the highest rate of renter occupancy of any neighborhood in America.

In addition, three-deckers, duplexes, old Victorian homes cut up into apartments. Independent stores on the corner selling pizza. These are some of the hallmarks of neighborhoods with lots of small 2, 3, and 4 unit apartment buildings. The Southwest neighborhood really stands out in this regard, however, as it is dominated by such small apartment buildings more than nearly any other neighborhood in America. This is a stunning visual and lifestyle example of this type of neighborhood. In fact, 42.2% of the real estate here are small 2, 3, or 4 unit apartment buildings, which is a higher proportion than found in 97.6% of America's neighborhoods.