City comparison
Lubbock, TX vs Utica, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Utica, NY are 1.5% higher than in Lubbock, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Lubbock, TX would need about $101,500 in Utica, NY to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $990 a month in Lubbock, TX versus $926 in Utica, NY. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in Lubbock, TX and 15% in Utica, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Utica, 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 Utica, NY changes real buying power by −1.5%, purely from prices.
- Lubbock, TX: price level 91.3 (much cheaper)
- Utica, NY: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lubbock, TX | Utica, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.3 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,490 in Utica | $98,531 in Lubbock |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $990/mo | $926/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% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $42,130 | $48,970 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Lubbock, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Utica-Rome, NY MSA. Metro areas: Lubbock, TX and Utica-Rome, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lubbock | Utica |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.4 | 66.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 82.8 | 131.9 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 91.3 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lubbock, TX → Utica, NY
Roughly even
Buying power −1.5%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
64 Fair offer
Utica, NY → Lubbock, TX
Roughly even
Buying power +1.5%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
73 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 Utica, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lubbock, TX | Utica, NY | Real change, Lubbock → Utica |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −1.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −1.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −1.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −1.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −1.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lubbock, TX | Utica, NY | Utica pay in Lubbock dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,220 | $77,010 | $75,879 (+28.1%) |
| Software Developers | $115,190 | $113,390 | $111,725 (−3.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $74,390 | $79,830 | $78,658 (+5.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,480 | $94,300 | $92,915 (+14.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.