City comparison
Augusta, GA vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Syracuse, NY are 4.2% higher than in Augusta, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Augusta, GA would need about $104,200 in Syracuse, NY to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,114 a month in Augusta, GA and $1,123 in Syracuse, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $293 a year higher in Syracuse, NY than in Augusta, GA.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Augusta, GA to Syracuse, NY changes real buying power by −4.0%, purely from prices.
- Augusta, GA: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Augusta, GA | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.9 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,177 in Syracuse | $95,990 in Augusta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,114/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,990 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Augusta | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 70.6 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 89.5 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 91.9 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Augusta, GA → Syracuse, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$293/yr.
56 Fair offer
Syracuse, NY → Augusta, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$293/yr.
82 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Augusta, GA to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Augusta, GA | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Augusta → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −4.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −4.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −4.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −4.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −4.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Augusta, GA | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Augusta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,000 | $78,560 | $75,410 (+19.7%) |
| Software Developers | $119,780 | $129,100 | $123,923 (+3.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,710 | $82,230 | $78,933 (+2.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,760 | $86,960 | $83,473 (−4.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.