Ranking among the top 10 places to raise a family, Syracuse is the economic and educational hub of Central New York. The city is home to the major research university, Syracuse University, as well as several smaller colleges and professional schools. Top employers in Syracuse are now primarily in the industries of education and service. Many small employers exist in place of larger companies and act to provide a certain amount of stability to the city’s economic environment. And the entire region is devoted to the beloved Orange and regularly fill the Carrier Dome during basketball season, regardless of the usually harsh weather.