City comparison
Fresno, CA vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fresno, CA are 6.7% higher than in Syracuse, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Syracuse, NY would need about $106,700 in Fresno, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,355 a month in Fresno, CA versus $1,123 in Syracuse, NY. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Fresno, CA and 18% in Syracuse, NY.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $5,070 a year in CA and $4,860 in NY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.5% moving from Fresno, CA to Syracuse, NY ($106,973 → $106,437), while prices change by −6.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.2% in real buying power.
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
- 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
| Fresno, CA | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.2 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,720 in Syracuse | $106,701 in Fresno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,355/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,910 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Fresno, CA and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fresno | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.7 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 102.2 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fresno, CA → Syracuse, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$211/yr.
90 Strong offer
Syracuse, NY → Fresno, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$211/yr.
49 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fresno, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; Syracuse, NY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Fresno, CA to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fresno, CA | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Fresno → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $61,722 | +6.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $74,678 | +6.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $89,508 | +6.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $106,437 | +6.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $125,776 | +6.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fresno, CA | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Fresno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,800 | $78,560 | $83,825 (+6.4%) |
| Software Developers | $129,060 | $129,100 | $137,751 (+6.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,690 | $82,230 | $87,741 (+11.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | $86,960 | $92,787 (−26.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.