City comparison
Little Rock, AR vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Syracuse, NY are 7.1% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $107,100 in Syracuse, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,123 a month in Syracuse, NY versus $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Syracuse, NY and 16% in Little Rock, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,172 a year higher in Syracuse, NY than in Little Rock, AR.
- 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 Little Rock, AR to Syracuse, NY changes real buying power by −6.7%, purely from prices.
- Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (much 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
| Little Rock, AR | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,137 in Syracuse | $93,338 in Little Rock |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $989/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,790 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR HUD Metro FMR Area and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Little Rock | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Little Rock, AR → Syracuse, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,172/yr.
48 Fair offer
Syracuse, NY → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,172/yr.
91 Strong 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 Little Rock, AR to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Little Rock, AR | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Little Rock → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −6.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −6.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −6.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −6.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −6.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Little Rock, AR | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Little Rock dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,580 | $78,560 | $73,327 (+25.2%) |
| Software Developers | $104,070 | $129,100 | $120,500 (+15.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,810 | $82,230 | $76,752 (+16.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,070 | $86,960 | $81,167 (+0.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.