City comparison
Reno, NV vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Reno, NV are 5.5% higher than in Syracuse, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Syracuse, NY would need about $105,500 in Reno, NV to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,489 a month in Reno, NV versus $1,123 in Syracuse, NY. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Reno, NV and 18% in Syracuse, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Syracuse, NY than in Reno, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.4% moving from Reno, NV to Syracuse, NY ($106,855 → $106,437), while prices change by −5.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.1% in real buying power.
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (about average)
- 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
| Reno, NV | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,781 in Syracuse | $105,506 in Reno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,489/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NV) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Reno-Fernley, NV | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Reno, NV and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Reno | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 123.5 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Reno, NV → Syracuse, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
86 Strong offer
Syracuse, NY → Reno, NV
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
52 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Reno, NV is in the Reno-Fernley, NV pay area; Syracuse, NY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Reno, NV to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Reno, NV | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Reno → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,965 | $61,722 | +5.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,972 | $74,678 | +5.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,859 | $89,508 | +5.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,855 | $106,437 | +5.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,271 | $125,776 | +5.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Reno, NV | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Reno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,430 | $78,560 | $82,886 (+32.8%) |
| Software Developers | $125,710 | $129,100 | $136,209 (+8.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,370 | $82,230 | $86,758 (+5.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,520 | $86,960 | $91,748 (−14.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.