City comparison
Des Moines, IA vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Syracuse, NY are 4.4% higher than in Des Moines, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Des Moines, IA would need about $104,400 in Syracuse, NY to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,109 a month in Des Moines, IA and $1,123 in Syracuse, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,712 a year higher in Syracuse, NY than in Des Moines, IA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.8% moving from Des Moines, IA to Syracuse, NY ($107,301 → $106,437), while prices change by +4.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.0% in real buying power.
- Des Moines, IA: price level 91.7 (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
| Des Moines, IA | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.7 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,407 in Syracuse | $95,779 in Des Moines |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,109/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,032 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,148 (IA) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,820 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HUD Metro FMR Area and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Des Moines | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.7 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 84.6 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 92.9 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 91.7 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Des Moines, IA → Syracuse, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,712/yr.
56 Fair offer
Syracuse, NY → Des Moines, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,712/yr.
83 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Des Moines, IA is in the Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA pay area; Syracuse, NY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Des Moines, IA to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Des Moines, IA | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Des Moines → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,223 | $61,722 | −5.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,284 | $74,678 | −5.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,234 | $89,508 | −5.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,301 | $106,437 | −5.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,797 | $125,776 | −5.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Des Moines, IA | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Des Moines dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,650 | $78,560 | $75,244 (+22.1%) |
| Software Developers | $126,460 | $129,100 | $123,651 (−2.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,290 | $82,230 | $78,759 (−0.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,630 | $86,960 | $83,290 (+5.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.