City comparison
Salt Lake City, UT vs Utica, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salt Lake City, UT are 8.8% higher than in Utica, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Utica, NY would need about $108,800 in Salt Lake City, UT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,456 a month in Salt Lake City, UT versus $926 in Utica, NY. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Salt Lake City, UT and 15% in Utica, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,326 a year higher in Utica, NY than in Salt Lake City, UT.
- 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 Salt Lake City, UT to Utica, NY changes real buying power by +8.8%, purely from prices.
- Salt Lake City, UT: price level 100.9 (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
| Salt Lake City, UT | Utica, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,880 in Utica | $108,837 in Salt Lake City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,456/mo | $926/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,646 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,534 (UT) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,240 | $48,970 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Salt Lake City, UT HUD Metro FMR Area and Utica-Rome, NY MSA. Metro areas: Salt Lake City-Murray, UT and Utica-Rome, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Salt Lake City | Utica |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 123.3 | 66.1 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 79.0 | 131.9 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Salt Lake City, UT → Utica, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,326/yr.
96 Strong offer
Utica, NY → Salt Lake City, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.1%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$1,326/yr.
43 Weak 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 Salt Lake City, UT to Utica, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Salt Lake City, UT | Utica, NY | Real change, Salt Lake City → Utica |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +8.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +8.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +8.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +8.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +8.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Salt Lake City, UT | Utica, NY | Utica pay in Salt Lake City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $77,920 | $77,010 | $83,815 (+7.6%) |
| Software Developers | $129,600 | $113,390 | $123,410 (−4.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,100 | $79,830 | $86,885 (+5.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $85,890 | $94,300 | $102,633 (+19.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.