City comparison
Scranton, PA vs Sioux Falls, SD
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Scranton, PA are 3.2% higher than in Sioux Falls, SD. Someone earning $100,000 in Sioux Falls, SD would need about $103,200 in Scranton, PA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,028 a month in Scranton, PA and $986 in Sioux Falls, SD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Scranton, PA than in Sioux Falls, SD.
- 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 Scranton, PA to Sioux Falls, SD changes real buying power by +3.2%, purely from prices.
- Scranton, PA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
- Sioux Falls, SD: price level 90.6 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Scranton, PA | Sioux Falls, SD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.6 | 90.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,874 in Sioux Falls | $103,227 in Scranton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,028/mo | $986/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $0 (SD) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,330 | $47,970 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA and Sioux Falls, SD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA and Sioux Falls, SD-MN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Scranton | Sioux Falls |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 67.0 | 77.6 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 95.5 |
| Utilities | 106.5 | 80.7 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 91.9 |
| Overall | 93.6 | 90.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Scranton, PA → Sioux Falls, SD
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
79 Strong offer
Sioux Falls, SD → Scranton, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
59 Fair 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 Scranton, PA to Sioux Falls, SD at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Scranton, PA | Sioux Falls, SD | Real change, Scranton → Sioux Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +3.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +3.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +3.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +3.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +3.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Scranton, PA | Sioux Falls, SD | Sioux Falls pay in Scranton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,590 | $50,040 | $51,655 (−32.6%) |
| Software Developers | $119,960 | $101,040 | $104,301 (−13.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,480 | $80,920 | $83,532 (+18.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,650 | $75,350 | $77,782 (−5.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.