City comparison
Boston, MA vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boston, MA are 13.1% higher than in Syracuse, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Syracuse, NY would need about $113,100 in Boston, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,476 a month in Boston, MA versus $1,123 in Syracuse, NY. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in Boston, MA and 18% in Syracuse, NY.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,780 a year in MA and $4,860 in NY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.7% moving from Boston, MA to Syracuse, NY ($120,548 → $106,437), while prices change by −11.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.2% in real buying power.
- Boston, MA: price level 108.3 (much 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
| Boston, MA | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.3 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,432 in Syracuse | $113,081 in Boston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,476/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (MA) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 40% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $66,620 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boston | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.4 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 148.8 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 103.6 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 108.3 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boston, MA → Syracuse, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$80/yr.
100 Strong offer
Syracuse, NY → Boston, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.6%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax −$80/yr.
15 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boston, MA is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Syracuse, NY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Boston, MA to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boston, MA | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Boston → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $61,722 | −0.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $74,678 | −0.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $89,508 | −0.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $106,437 | −0.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $125,776 | −0.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boston, MA | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Boston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,060 | $78,560 | $88,836 (−9.4%) |
| Software Developers | $166,090 | $129,100 | $145,988 (−12.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,150 | $82,230 | $92,986 (−7.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,180 | $86,960 | $98,335 (−7.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.