City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 10.1% higher than in Syracuse, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Syracuse, NY would need about $110,100 in Anchorage, AK to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,243 a month in Anchorage, AK versus $1,123 in Syracuse, NY. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Anchorage, AK and 18% in Syracuse, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Syracuse, NY than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.6% moving from Anchorage, AK to Syracuse, NY ($120,348 → $106,437), while prices change by −9.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.6% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Syracuse, NY: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Anchorage, AK | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,820 in Syracuse | $110,108 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (AK) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Syracuse, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
100 Strong offer
Syracuse, NY → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.2%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
40 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Syracuse, NY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Anchorage → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $61,722 | −2.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $74,678 | −2.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $89,508 | −2.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $106,437 | −2.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $125,776 | −2.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $78,560 | $86,501 (+9.1%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $129,100 | $142,150 (+36.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $82,230 | $90,542 (+10.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $86,960 | $95,750 (−16.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.