City comparison
Lubbock, TX vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Syracuse, NY are 4.8% higher than in Lubbock, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Lubbock, TX would need about $104,800 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 $990 in Lubbock, TX. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Syracuse, NY and 15% in Lubbock, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Syracuse, NY than in Lubbock, TX.
- 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 Lubbock, TX to Syracuse, NY changes real buying power by −4.6%, purely from prices.
- Lubbock, TX: price level 91.3 (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
| Lubbock, TX | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.3 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,846 in Syracuse | $95,378 in Lubbock |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $990/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $42,130 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Lubbock, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Lubbock, TX and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lubbock | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.4 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 82.8 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 91.3 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lubbock, TX → Syracuse, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
54 Fair offer
Syracuse, NY → Lubbock, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
84 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 Lubbock, TX to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lubbock, TX | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Lubbock → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −4.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −4.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −4.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −4.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −4.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lubbock, TX | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Lubbock dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,220 | $78,560 | $74,929 (+26.5%) |
| Software Developers | $115,190 | $129,100 | $123,133 (+6.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $74,390 | $82,230 | $78,429 (+5.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,480 | $86,960 | $82,941 (+1.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.