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Utica, NY

Government town · 24.4% of jobs are government, including public universities (U.S. 12.1%)
Everyday life
Shops, cafes, and daily routines
Hobbies & activities
Trails, parks, and pastimes
Nearby scenery
Lakes, overlooks, and drives

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Around Utica

Boilermaker race
Boilermaker race · Photo: Brian Hughey, CC BY 2.0
Brewing tanks
Brewing tanks · Photo: Brian Boucheron, CC BY 2.0
Liberty Bell, Utica, NY
Liberty Bell, Utica, NY · Photo: Doug Kerr, CC BY-SA 2.0
Oneida County Courthouse
Stanley facade
Stanley facade · Photo: Lisa, CC BY 2.0
TRProctor High School
TRProctor High School · Photo: Joaquin Sosa, CC BY-SA 3.0
The Eagle, Roscoe Conkling Park, Utica, New York
The Eagle, Roscoe Conkling Park, Utica, New York · Photo: Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0
Utica, New York Yellow Book
Utica, New York City Hall
Utica, New York City Hall · Photo: Kenneth C. Zirkel, CC BY-SA 4.0
Utica, New York skyline
Utica, New York skyline · Photo: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0
Utica Harbor Lock Overlook
Utica Harbor Lock Overlook · Photo: Andrey Volk, CC BY-SA 4.0
Utica Marsh at Sunset
Utica Marsh at Sunset · Photo: Andrey Volk, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Where it is
Utica
Utica in New York
New York in the U.S.
State outlines: U.S. Census Bureau.

What's nearby

Within 5 miles of the center of the Utica area.

16
grocery stores
74
restaurants
11
coffee shops
43
parks
25
playgrounds
7
libraries
1
movie theater
3
live theaters
4
museums
11
bookstores
3
gyms
9
bars
5
pharmacies
2
hospitals

Counts from OpenStreetMap, a volunteer map, so small or new places can be missing. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Biking and trails

Within 5 miles of the center of the Utica area.

Bike lanes and bike paths
20 miles
more than most U.S. towns
Walking and hiking trails
37 miles
more than most U.S. towns

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Counts depend on how well local volunteers have mapped the area, so treat them as a rough guide.

What rent costs

Of about 34,805 rented homes in the Utica area, 95% rent for under $2,000 a month and 99% for under $3,000.

Under $1,000: 61%
$1,000 to $1,499: 28%
$1,500 to $1,999: 7%
$2,000 to $2,499: 3%
$2,500 to $2,999: 0%
$3,000 or more: 1%

Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.

What moving costs

Hiring movers

Average cost: $1,946

From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.

Moving in as a renter

The middle rented home in the Utica area rents for under $1,000 a month. First month plus a one-month deposit comes to about under $2,000 before you get the keys.

Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.

Your first weeks in New York

  • Forward your mail: USPS change of address. It costs about $1 online to confirm who you are.
  • Switch your driver's license and car registration. Each state sets its own deadline, often somewhere between 10 days and a few months after you move. Find the New York DMV.
  • Register to vote at your new address: New York voter registration.
  • Set up power, gas, water and trash. Some cities bill water and trash together, and some ask new customers for a deposit.
  • Update your address with your bank, employer, insurance and the IRS (Form 8822 if you're not filing soon).
  • Find a doctor and dentist early. New-patient waits can be weeks, even in big cities.

Public schools

TRProctor High School
TRProctor High School · Photo: Joaquin Sosa, CC BY-SA 3.0

15 public school districts in this county, with about 32,287 students in all. Which one serves a home depends on its address.

Utica City School District · Utica
9,386 students · 13.8 students per teacher · 13 schools · grades K to 12
Rome City School District · Rome
5,377 students · 12.1 students per teacher · 9 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Whitesboro Central School District · Whitesboro
3,094 students · 13.5 students per teacher · 7 schools · grades K to 12
New Hartford Central School District · New Hartford
2,644 students · 12.7 students per teacher · 5 schools · grades K to 12
Camden Central School District · Camden
2,008 students · 11.6 students per teacher · 4 schools · grades Pre-K to 12

NCES Common Core of Data 2022-23, National Center for Education Statistics. Varro doesn't rate or rank schools. For test results and programs, see each district's site and your state's school report card.

Childcare and colleges

Daycare and preschool

New York keeps an official list of licensed childcare, with inspection reports and openings in many states. In a lot of towns, infant spots fill up months ahead, so it helps to get on waitlists before you move.

Typical full-time prices in this county (2022)
AgeDaycare centerHome daycare
Infant (under 2)$247/week
about $12,800 a year
$190/week
about $9,900 a year
Toddler (2)$230/week
about $12,000 a year
Preschool (3 to 4)$200/week
about $10,400 a year
$175/week
about $9,100 a year
School-age$194/week
about $10,100 a year

For an infant at a center: $247/week here, $296 across NY, $259 across the U.S.. Full-time infant care at a center here costs about 15% of a typical family's income. These are 2022 prices, the newest the government has published by county, and prices have gone up since.

U.S. Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices, 2022. Middle (median) price for full-time care. State and U.S. figures average the county prices, weighted by population (Census 2024).
Search licensed childcare in New York →
Link via childcare.gov (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).

6 colleges in the county and the wider metro around Utica. Prices are yearly tuition and fees for full-time undergrads, before financial aid.

Mohawk Valley Community College · Utica
Public, 2-year (community college) · 5,762 students · $6,114 in-state, $8,695 out-of-state
Utica University · Utica
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 3,733 students · $24,308 a year
SUNY Polytechnic Institute · Utica
Public, 4-year · 2,704 students · $8,578 in-state, $20,228 out-of-state
Hamilton College · Clinton
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 2,048 students · $62,740 a year
Saint Elizabeth College of Nursing · Utica
Private nonprofit, 2-year · 146 students · $19,300 a year

Moving for school? Public colleges charge state residents much less, and community colleges often charge even less to people who live in their district. Most states want you to have lived there about 12 months, for reasons other than school, before you count as a resident for tuition. The rules differ by state, so check with the college's registrar.

IPEDS 2023-24, National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS). Degree-granting public and nonprofit schools with 100+ students. Varro doesn't rank colleges.

The facts behind it
Typical home value
$233,378
What a typical home sells for across the Utica area.
Source: Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026
Average commute
22 minutes one way
How long residents' trips to work take on average, counting every job and way of getting there. U.S. average: about 27 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Homeowners insurance
About $1,683 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in NY. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Natural disaster risk
Relatively Moderate
FEMA's overall rating for the county, covering floods, storms, wildfire, earthquakes and more.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hail risk
Relatively Low
FEMA's rating for hail damage in the county, compared with other U.S. counties.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hospitals nearby
2 within 5 miles
Hospitals mapped within 5 miles of the center. Emergency and specialty care vary, so check which ones fit your needs.
Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Drug overdose deaths (county)
17.1 per 100,000 people a year
39 deaths in the 12 months ending March 2026. NY average: 8.9 per 100,000. U.S.: 19.9. Counts are by where people lived, and recent months may still be updated.
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, provisional counts through March 2026; Census population estimates 2024
People without housing (local count)
About 14 per 10,000 residents
HUD's one-night count in January 2025 found 414 people without housing in the Utica, Rome/Oneida, Madison Counties area (2 counties): 271 in shelters and 143 outside, up from 369 in 2024. NY: 73.3 per 10,000. U.S.: 21.9. One-night counts miss people, and how areas count differs.
Source: HUD Point-in-Time Count, January 2025 (HUD, 2025 report to Congress); Census population estimates 2024
Median household income
$68,819
Half of households in the county earn more than this, half earn less.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Property tax
2.13% of home value a year
About $2,130 a year for every $100,000 of home value.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
State income tax
Graduated, up to 10.90%
NY's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.
Source: 2026

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