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Living in Auburn, NY

Small city in New York

Auburn is a small city in New York, home to about 26,000 people, with 397,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, much of daily life is walkable. Life moves at a moderate pace, and homes are mostly apartments.

Is Auburn a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $228k and rents for $1,690 a month
  • Mild summers: highs around 79°F
  • Great outdoors: hills or mountains nearby
  • Low natural disaster risk: 6 federally declared disasters since 2000

👎 Cons

  • Cloudier than most places
  • Higher taxes: about $3,080 state income tax per resident, 2.86% property tax
  • Smaller job market: about 397,000 people live within 31 mi
  • No dog parks within 9 mi

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Auburn ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
26,000
397,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
34°F / 79°F
Average daily highs · 109″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$228k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$1,690/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
96
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$3,080
State income tax per resident · 2.86% property tax
Safety
No data
Not in FBI 2019 city table
Natural disasters
6 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding
Top-rated hospitals
0
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Public schools
Below average
Tests below US average · 14 students per teacher
Adults with a degree
20%
2 research universities within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
SYR
26 mi away

Living in Auburn: common questions

What is the cost of living in Auburn?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $228k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,690 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 96, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Auburn?

New York collects about $3,080 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 2.86% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Auburn safe?

Auburn isn't in the FBI's 2019 city crime table, so Best Life Fit Me counts its safety as average.

How are the schools in Auburn?

Public schools in Auburn test below the US average in math and reading (2018–19 state tests, put on one national scale with NAEP), with about 14 students per teacher.

What is the weather like in Auburn?

Auburn has long, snowy winters: winter days average around 34°F and summer days around 79°F, with roughly 109″ of snow a year.

Does Auburn get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding: 6 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.23 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Auburn?

The nearest major airport is SYR, about 26 mi away.

How Auburn scores

Each bar compares Auburn with the other 1,990 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City sizeSmall town Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quietUrban & suburban mix Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting aroundMostly walkable Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or natureNature on the doorstep Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️ClimateLong, snowy winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of livingAffordable Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️PaceModerate pace Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝CommunityPrivate AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡HousingMostly apartments ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housingExcellent
💸Low taxesPoor
💼Job marketPoor
🏥HealthcarePoor
🏫SchoolsBelow average
🎓EducationPoor
🧸Kids & familyBelow average
🐕Dog-friendlyPoor
⛰️OutdoorsExcellent
🎭CultureBelow average
👮SafetyNo crime data (counted as average)
🌪️Few natural disastersExcellent
☀️SunnyPoor
🌤️Mild summersExcellent
✈️AirportExcellent

Places like Auburn

These places have the most similar overall profile across all 24 aspects.

The circle is each place's all-round score out of 100: the average of its 15 quality scores, from red (poor) to green (excellent).

Jamestown, NYSmall city40 $127k$1,170/moModerate crime Utica, NYSmall city38 $214k$1,410/moModerate crime Salina, NYSmall city49 $174k$1,690/moNo crime data Elmira, NYSmall city46 $135k$1,370/moNo crime data Syracuse, NYMid-size city43 $217k$1,690/moHigher crime Sheboygan, WISmall city49 $260k$1,350/moSafe

Nearby

Syracuse, NYMid-size city · 23 mi away43 $217k$1,690/moHigher crime Salina, NYSmall city · 23 mi away49 $174k$1,690/moNo crime data Clay, NYSmall city · 25 mi away59 $222k$1,690/moNo crime data Cicero, NYSmall city · 31 mi away62 $238k$1,690/moVery safe Manlius, NYCollege town · 31 mi away60 $283k$1,690/moVery safe Ithaca, NYCollege town · 34 mi away58 $384k$2,100/moVery safe

See all the best places to live in New York.

Is Auburn right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

Take the free quiz →

Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.