City comparison
Detroit, MI vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Detroit, MI are 4.8% higher than in Syracuse, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Syracuse, NY would need about $104,800 in Detroit, MI to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,122 a month in Detroit, MI and $1,123 in Syracuse, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $860 a year higher in Syracuse, NY than in Detroit, MI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.3% moving from Detroit, MI to Syracuse, NY ($117,402 → $106,437), while prices change by −4.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.0% in real buying power.
- Detroit, MI: price level 100.3 (about average)
- 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
| Detroit, MI | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,458 in Syracuse | $104,759 in Detroit |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,122/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,080 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Detroit | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.7 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 98.8 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 102.6 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Detroit, MI → Syracuse, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$860/yr.
84 Strong offer
Syracuse, NY → Detroit, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$860/yr.
55 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Detroit, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Syracuse, NY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Detroit, MI to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Detroit, MI | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Detroit → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $61,722 | −5.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $74,678 | −5.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $89,508 | −5.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $106,437 | −5.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $125,776 | −5.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Detroit, MI | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Detroit dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,210 | $78,560 | $82,298 (+26.2%) |
| Software Developers | $130,760 | $129,100 | $135,243 (+3.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,650 | $82,230 | $86,143 (+6.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,280 | $86,960 | $91,098 (−6.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.