City comparison
Grand Rapids, MI vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Grand Rapids, MI (95.5) and Syracuse, NY (95.7, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Grand Rapids, MI goes as far as $100,200 in Syracuse, NY.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,278 a month in Grand Rapids, MI versus $1,123 in Syracuse, NY. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Grand Rapids, MI and 18% in Syracuse, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $860 a year higher in Syracuse, NY than in Grand Rapids, MI.
- 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 Grand Rapids, MI to Syracuse, NY changes real buying power by −0.2%, purely from prices.
- Grand Rapids, MI: price level 95.5 (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
| Grand Rapids, MI | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,205 in Syracuse | $99,795 in Grand Rapids |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,278/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 | 20% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,570 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Grand Rapids | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 93.8 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Grand Rapids, MI → Syracuse, NY
Roughly even
Buying power −0.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$860/yr.
68 Fair offer
Syracuse, NY → Grand Rapids, MI
Roughly even
Buying power +0.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$860/yr.
69 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 Grand Rapids, MI to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Grand Rapids, MI | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Grand Rapids → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −0.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −0.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −0.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −0.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −0.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Grand Rapids, MI | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Grand Rapids dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,900 | $78,560 | $78,399 (+26.7%) |
| Software Developers | $107,520 | $129,100 | $128,836 (+19.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,270 | $82,230 | $82,062 (+7.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,920 | $86,960 | $86,782 (+3.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.