City comparison
Chicago, IL vs Utica, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chicago, IL are 11.8% higher than in Utica, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Utica, NY would need about $111,800 in Chicago, IL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,581 a month in Chicago, IL versus $926 in Utica, NY. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Chicago, IL and 15% in Utica, NY.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,805 a year in IL and $4,860 in NY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.5% moving from Chicago, IL to Utica, NY ($118,984 → $106,437), while prices change by −10.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.0% in real buying power.
- Chicago, IL: price level 103.6 (pricier)
- Utica, NY: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chicago, IL | Utica, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,462 in Utica | $111,779 in Chicago |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,581/mo | $926/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,720 | $48,970 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area and Utica-Rome, NY MSA. Metro areas: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN and Utica-Rome, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chicago | Utica |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 112.0 | 66.1 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 83.6 | 131.9 |
| Other services | 100.5 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chicago, IL → Utica, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$55/yr.
100 Strong offer
Utica, NY → Chicago, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.5%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$55/yr.
37 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chicago, IL is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI pay area; Utica, NY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Chicago, IL to Utica, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chicago, IL | Utica, NY | Real change, Chicago → Utica |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $61,722 | −0.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $74,678 | −0.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $89,508 | −0.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $106,437 | −0.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $125,776 | −0.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chicago, IL | Utica, NY | Utica pay in Chicago dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,390 | $77,010 | $86,081 (+9.8%) |
| Software Developers | $134,380 | $113,390 | $126,747 (−5.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,360 | $79,830 | $89,234 (+8.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $94,300 | $105,408 (+4.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.