City comparison
Shreveport, LA vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Syracuse, NY are 12.9% higher than in Shreveport, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Shreveport, LA would need about $112,900 in Syracuse, NY to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,123 a month in Syracuse, NY versus $982 in Shreveport, LA. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Syracuse, NY and 15% in Shreveport, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,246 a year higher in Syracuse, NY than in Shreveport, LA.
- 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 Shreveport, LA to Syracuse, NY changes real buying power by −11.5%, purely from prices.
- Shreveport, LA: price level 84.8 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Shreveport, LA | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 84.8 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,949 in Syracuse | $88,536 in Shreveport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $982/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,566 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,614 (LA) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,820 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Shreveport-Bossier City, LA MSA and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Shreveport-Bossier City, LA and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Shreveport | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 52.3 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 72.6 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 84.8 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Shreveport, LA → Syracuse, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$2,246/yr.
38 Weak offer
Syracuse, NY → Shreveport, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.9%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$2,246/yr.
100 Strong 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 Shreveport, LA to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Shreveport, LA | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Shreveport → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −11.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −11.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −11.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −11.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −11.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Shreveport, LA | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Shreveport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,850 | $78,560 | $69,554 (+12.5%) |
| Software Developers | $96,680 | $129,100 | $114,300 (+18.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,420 | $82,230 | $72,803 (+3.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,080 | $86,960 | $76,991 (−3.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.