City comparison
Kennewick, WA vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Kennewick, WA are 4.5% higher than in Syracuse, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Syracuse, NY would need about $104,500 in Kennewick, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,268 a month in Kennewick, WA versus $1,123 in Syracuse, NY. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Kennewick, WA and 18% in Syracuse, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Syracuse, NY than in Kennewick, WA.
- 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 Kennewick, WA to Syracuse, NY changes real buying power by +4.5%, purely from prices.
- Kennewick, WA: price level 100.1 (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
| Kennewick, WA | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,666 in Syracuse | $104,530 in Kennewick |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,268/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $57,290 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Kennewick-Richland, WA MSA and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Kennewick-Richland, WA and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kennewick | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.8 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 93.6 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kennewick, WA → Syracuse, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
83 Strong offer
Syracuse, NY → Kennewick, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
55 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 Kennewick, WA to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kennewick, WA | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Kennewick → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +4.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +4.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +4.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +4.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +4.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kennewick, WA | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Kennewick dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $100,380 | $78,560 | $82,119 (−18.2%) |
| Software Developers | $127,800 | $129,100 | $134,948 (+5.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $93,280 | $82,230 | $85,955 (−7.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,410 | $86,960 | $90,899 (−14.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.