City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Utica, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbus, OH are 3.0% higher than in Utica, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Utica, NY would need about $103,000 in Columbus, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH versus $926 in Utica, NY. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbus, OH and 15% in Utica, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,892 a year higher in Utica, NY than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Columbus, OH to Utica, NY ($111,065 → $106,437), while prices change by −2.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.3% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- 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
| Columbus, OH | Utica, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,077 in Utica | $103,012 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $926/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $48,970 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Utica-Rome, NY MSA. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Utica-Rome, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Utica |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 66.1 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 131.9 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Utica, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$2,892/yr.
78 Strong offer
Utica, NY → Columbus, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$2,892/yr.
60 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Utica, NY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Utica, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Utica, NY | Real change, Columbus → Utica |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $61,722 | −1.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $74,678 | −1.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $89,508 | −1.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $106,437 | −1.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $125,776 | −1.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Utica, NY | Utica pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $77,010 | $79,329 (+1.5%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $113,390 | $116,805 (−4.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $79,830 | $82,234 (+0.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $94,300 | $97,140 (+15.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.