City comparison
Durham, NC vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Durham, NC are 1.9% higher than in Syracuse, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Syracuse, NY would need about $101,900 in Durham, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Durham, NC versus $1,123 in Syracuse, NY. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Durham, NC and 18% in Syracuse, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,378 a year higher in Syracuse, NY than in Durham, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Durham, NC to Syracuse, NY ($111,147 → $106,437), while prices change by −1.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.4% in real buying power.
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (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
| Durham, NC | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.6 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,124 in Syracuse | $101,911 in Durham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,720 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Durham | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.9 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 97.6 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Durham, NC → Syracuse, NY
Roughly even
Buying power +1.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,378/yr.
75 Strong offer
Syracuse, NY → Durham, NC
Roughly even
Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,378/yr.
63 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Durham, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Syracuse, NY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Durham, NC to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Durham, NC | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Durham → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $61,722 | −2.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $74,678 | −2.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $89,508 | −2.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $106,437 | −2.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $125,776 | −2.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Durham, NC | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Durham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $51,400 | $78,560 | $80,062 (+55.8%) |
| Software Developers | $135,620 | $129,100 | $131,568 (−3.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $82,230 | $83,802 (−1.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | not published | $86,960 | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.