City comparison
Sacramento, CA vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Sacramento, CA are 11.4% higher than in Syracuse, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Syracuse, NY would need about $111,400 in Sacramento, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,832 a month in Sacramento, CA versus $1,123 in Syracuse, NY. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Sacramento, CA and 18% in Syracuse, NY.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $5,070 a year in CA and $4,860 in NY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.8% moving from Sacramento, CA to Syracuse, NY ($117,984 → $106,437), while prices change by −10.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.5% in real buying power.
- Sacramento, CA: price level 106.7 (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
| Sacramento, CA | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 106.7 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,755 in Syracuse | $111,414 in Sacramento |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,832/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 30% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,750 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Sacramento | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 130.2 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 151.3 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 106.7 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Sacramento, CA → Syracuse, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$211/yr.
100 Strong offer
Syracuse, NY → Sacramento, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.2%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax +$211/yr.
31 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Sacramento, CA is in the Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV pay area; Syracuse, NY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Sacramento, CA to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Sacramento, CA | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Sacramento → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,419 | $61,722 | +0.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,780 | $74,678 | +0.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,218 | $89,508 | +0.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,984 | $106,437 | +0.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $139,422 | $125,776 | +0.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Sacramento, CA | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Sacramento dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $103,390 | $78,560 | $87,527 (−15.3%) |
| Software Developers | $139,640 | $129,100 | $143,835 (+3.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,110 | $82,230 | $91,616 (−0.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $171,460 | $86,960 | $96,886 (−43.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.