City comparison
Providence, RI vs Utica, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Providence, RI are 9.8% higher than in Utica, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Utica, NY would need about $109,800 in Providence, RI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,402 a month in Providence, RI versus $926 in Utica, NY. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Providence, RI and 15% in Utica, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,712 a year higher in Utica, NY than in Providence, RI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.7% moving from Providence, RI to Utica, NY ($120,548 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.0% in real buying power.
- Providence, RI: price level 101.8 (about average)
- 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
| Providence, RI | Utica, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.8 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,063 in Utica | $109,814 in Providence |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,402/mo | $926/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,032 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,148 (RI) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $53,680 | $48,970 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area and Utica-Rome, NY MSA. Metro areas: Providence-Warwick, RI-MA and Utica-Rome, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Providence | Utica |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 103.9 | 66.1 |
| Goods | 97.1 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 148.8 | 131.9 |
| Other services | 102.3 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 101.8 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Providence, RI → Utica, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,712/yr.
99 Strong offer
Utica, NY → Providence, RI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$1,712/yr.
41 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Providence, RI is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Utica, NY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Providence, RI to Utica, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Providence, RI | Utica, NY | Real change, Providence → Utica |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $61,722 | −3.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $74,678 | −3.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $89,508 | −3.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $106,437 | −3.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $125,776 | −3.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Providence, RI | Utica, NY | Utica pay in Providence dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $86,720 | $77,010 | $84,567 (−2.5%) |
| Software Developers | $130,690 | $113,390 | $124,518 (−4.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,020 | $79,830 | $87,664 (−7.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,880 | $94,300 | $103,554 (+3.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.