City comparison
Olympia, WA vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Olympia, WA are 8.3% higher than in Syracuse, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Syracuse, NY would need about $108,300 in Olympia, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,682 a month in Olympia, WA versus $1,123 in Syracuse, NY. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Olympia, WA and 18% in Syracuse, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Syracuse, NY than in Olympia, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.0% moving from Olympia, WA to Syracuse, NY ($119,630 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.7% in real buying power.
- Olympia, WA: price level 103.7 (pricier)
- 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
| Olympia, WA | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.7 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,353 in Syracuse | $108,281 in Olympia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,682/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $61,960 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA MSA and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Olympia | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 116.7 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 91.7 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 103.7 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Olympia, WA → Syracuse, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
95 Strong offer
Syracuse, NY → Olympia, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.6%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
44 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Olympia, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Syracuse, NY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Olympia, WA to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Olympia, WA | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Olympia → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $61,722 | −3.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $74,678 | −3.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $89,508 | −3.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $106,437 | −3.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $125,776 | −3.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Olympia, WA | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Olympia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $104,650 | $78,560 | $85,065 (−18.7%) |
| Software Developers | $124,060 | $129,100 | $139,790 (+12.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $94,470 | $82,230 | $89,039 (−5.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,020 | $86,960 | $94,161 (−24.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.