City comparison
Mobile, AL vs Utica, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Utica, NY are 5.2% higher than in Mobile, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Mobile, AL would need about $105,200 in Utica, NY to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $919 a month in Mobile, AL and $926 in Utica, NY.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,735 a year in AL and $4,860 in NY.
- 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 Mobile, AL to Utica, NY changes real buying power by −4.9%, purely from prices.
- Mobile, AL: price level 88.1 (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
| Mobile, AL | Utica, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.1 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,199 in Utica | $95,058 in Mobile |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $919/mo | $926/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,000 | $48,970 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Mobile, AL MSA and Utica-Rome, NY MSA. Metro areas: Mobile, AL and Utica-Rome, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Mobile | Utica |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 60.1 | 66.1 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 84.2 | 131.9 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 88.1 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Mobile, AL → Utica, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.9%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$125/yr.
53 Fair offer
Utica, NY → Mobile, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$125/yr.
85 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 Mobile, AL to Utica, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Mobile, AL | Utica, NY | Real change, Mobile → Utica |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −4.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −4.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −4.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −4.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −4.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Mobile, AL | Utica, NY | Utica pay in Mobile dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,970 | $77,010 | $73,204 (+20.1%) |
| Software Developers | $122,540 | $113,390 | $107,786 (−12.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $72,130 | $79,830 | $75,885 (+5.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,490 | $94,300 | $89,640 (+12.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.