City comparison
Jacksonville, FL vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Jacksonville, FL are 3.9% higher than in Syracuse, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Syracuse, NY would need about $103,900 in Jacksonville, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,382 a month in Jacksonville, FL versus $1,123 in Syracuse, NY. On $100,000, that's 21% of take-home pay in Jacksonville, FL and 18% in Syracuse, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Syracuse, NY than in Jacksonville, 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 Jacksonville, FL to Syracuse, NY changes real buying power by +3.9%, purely from prices.
- Jacksonville, FL: price level 99.5 (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
| Jacksonville, FL | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.5 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,239 in Syracuse | $103,908 in Jacksonville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,382/mo | $1,123/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 | 21% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,830 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Jacksonville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Jacksonville, FL and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jacksonville | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.8 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 87.5 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 99.5 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jacksonville, FL → Syracuse, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
81 Strong offer
Syracuse, NY → Jacksonville, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.8%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
57 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 Jacksonville, FL to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jacksonville, FL | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Jacksonville → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +3.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +3.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +3.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +3.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +3.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jacksonville, FL | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Jacksonville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,080 | $78,560 | $81,630 (+33.6%) |
| Software Developers | $130,330 | $129,100 | $134,146 (+2.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,960 | $82,230 | $85,444 (+6.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,520 | $86,960 | $90,359 (+8.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.