City comparison
Gainesville, FL vs Utica, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Gainesville, FL are 4.4% higher than in Utica, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Utica, NY would need about $104,400 in Gainesville, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,246 a month in Gainesville, FL versus $926 in Utica, NY. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Gainesville, FL and 15% in Utica, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Utica, NY than in Gainesville, FL.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Gainesville, FL to Utica, NY changes real buying power by +4.4%, purely from prices.
- Gainesville, FL: price level 96.7 (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
| Gainesville, FL | Utica, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.7 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,808 in Utica | $104,375 in Gainesville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,246/mo | $926/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,020 | $48,970 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Gainesville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Utica-Rome, NY MSA. Metro areas: Gainesville, FL and Utica-Rome, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Gainesville | Utica |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.0 | 66.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 131.9 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 96.7 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Gainesville, FL → Utica, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
82 Strong offer
Utica, NY → Gainesville, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.2%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
56 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Gainesville, FL to Utica, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Gainesville, FL | Utica, NY | Real change, Gainesville → Utica |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +4.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +4.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +4.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +4.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +4.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Gainesville, FL | Utica, NY | Utica pay in Gainesville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $56,430 | $77,010 | $80,379 (+42.4%) |
| Software Developers | $122,950 | $113,390 | $118,351 (−3.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,820 | $79,830 | $83,323 (+9.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,870 | $94,300 | $98,426 (+20.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.