City comparison
Memphis, TN vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Syracuse, NY are 3.9% higher than in Memphis, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Memphis, TN would need about $103,900 in Syracuse, NY to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,154 a month in Memphis, TN and $1,123 in Syracuse, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Syracuse, NY than in Memphis, TN.
- 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 Memphis, TN to Syracuse, NY changes real buying power by −3.7%, purely from prices.
- Memphis, TN: price level 92.2 (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
| Memphis, TN | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.2 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,865 in Syracuse | $96,279 in Memphis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,154/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,890 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Memphis, TN-MS-AR and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Memphis | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.8 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 74.1 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 95.4 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 92.2 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Memphis, TN → Syracuse, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
57 Fair offer
Syracuse, NY → Memphis, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
81 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 Memphis, TN to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Memphis, TN | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Memphis → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −3.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −3.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −3.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −3.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −3.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Memphis, TN | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Memphis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,510 | $78,560 | $75,636 (+23.0%) |
| Software Developers | $125,580 | $129,100 | $124,296 (−1.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,960 | $82,230 | $79,170 (+2.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,500 | $86,960 | $83,724 (+2.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.