City comparison
Minneapolis, MN vs Utica, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 13.1% higher than in Utica, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Utica, NY would need about $113,100 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,405 a month in Minneapolis, MN versus $926 in Utica, NY. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Minneapolis, MN and 15% in Utica, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $417 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Utica, NY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.3% moving from Minneapolis, MN to Utica, NY ($116,038 → $106,437), while prices change by −11.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.7% in real buying power.
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
- 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
| Minneapolis, MN | Utica, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.8 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,415 in Utica | $113,103 in Minneapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,405/mo | $926/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,903 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,277 (MN) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,320 | $48,970 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Utica-Rome, NY MSA. Metro areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI and Utica-Rome, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Minneapolis | Utica |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.8 | 66.1 |
| Goods | 103.1 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 93.5 | 131.9 |
| Other services | 104.4 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 104.8 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Minneapolis, MN → Utica, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$417/yr.
100 Strong offer
Utica, NY → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.6%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$417/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Minneapolis, MN is in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI pay area; Utica, NY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Minneapolis, MN to Utica, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Minneapolis, MN | Utica, NY | Real change, Minneapolis → Utica |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $67,290 | $61,722 | +3.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $81,415 | $74,678 | +3.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $97,582 | $89,508 | +3.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $116,038 | $106,437 | +3.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $137,123 | $125,776 | +3.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Minneapolis, MN | Utica, NY | Utica pay in Minneapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,730 | $77,010 | $87,101 (+9.2%) |
| Software Developers | $130,920 | $113,390 | $128,248 (−2.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $86,500 | $79,830 | $90,290 (+4.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,040 | $94,300 | $106,657 (+3.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.