City comparison
Kiryas Joel, NY vs Washington, DC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Kiryas Joel, NY (109.4) and Washington, DC (108.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Kiryas Joel, NY goes as far as $99,500 in Washington, DC.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,015 a month in Washington, DC versus $1,549 in Kiryas Joel, NY. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Washington, DC and 25% in Kiryas Joel, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $672 a year higher in Washington, DC than in Kiryas Joel, NY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.9% moving from Kiryas Joel, NY to Washington, DC ($125,431 → $121,785), while prices change by −0.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.4% in real buying power.
- Kiryas Joel, NY: price level 109.4 (much pricier)
- Washington, DC: price level 108.9 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Kiryas Joel, NY | Washington, DC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 109.4 | 108.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,508 in Washington | $100,494 in Kiryas Joel |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,549/mo | $2,015/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $73,649 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $5,532 (DC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,990 | $71,060 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY MSA and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kiryas Joel | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 115.8 | 151.1 |
| Goods | 110.3 | 104.8 |
| Utilities | 136.8 | 106.7 |
| Other services | 106.5 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 109.4 | 108.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kiryas Joel, NY → Washington, DC
Roughly even
Buying power +0.5%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$672/yr.
59 Fair offer
Washington, DC → Kiryas Joel, NY
Roughly even
Buying power −0.5%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$672/yr.
67 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Kiryas Joel, NY is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Washington, DC is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Kiryas Joel, NY to Washington, DC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kiryas Joel, NY | Washington, DC | Real change, Kiryas Joel → Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $70,623 | −2.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $85,447 | −2.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $102,415 | −2.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $121,785 | −2.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $143,913 | −2.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kiryas Joel, NY | Washington, DC | Washington pay in Kiryas Joel dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $81,770 | $79,470 | $79,863 (−2.3%) |
| Software Developers | $145,830 | $154,930 | $155,696 (+6.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,900 | $102,140 | $102,645 (+15.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $102,890 | $102,710 | $103,217 (+0.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.