City comparison
South Bend, IN vs Utica, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in South Bend, IN (92.9) and Utica, NY (92.7, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in South Bend, IN goes as far as $99,800 in Utica, NY.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,105 a month in South Bend, IN versus $926 in Utica, NY. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in South Bend, IN and 15% in Utica, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,939 a year higher in Utica, NY than in South Bend, IN.
- 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 South Bend, IN to Utica, NY changes real buying power by +0.2%, purely from prices.
- South Bend, IN: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
- 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
| South Bend, IN | Utica, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,806 in Utica | $100,194 in South Bend |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,105/mo | $926/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,540 | $48,970 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: South Bend-Mishawaka, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Utica-Rome, NY MSA. Metro areas: South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI and Utica-Rome, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | South Bend | Utica |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.6 | 66.1 |
| Goods | 94.2 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 87.7 | 131.9 |
| Other services | 99.2 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
South Bend, IN → Utica, NY
Roughly even
Buying power +0.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,939/yr.
69 Fair offer
Utica, NY → South Bend, IN
Roughly even
Buying power −0.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,939/yr.
68 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 South Bend, IN to Utica, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | South Bend, IN | Utica, NY | Real change, South Bend → Utica |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +0.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +0.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +0.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +0.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +0.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | South Bend, IN | Utica, NY | Utica pay in South Bend dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,180 | $77,010 | $77,160 (+32.6%) |
| Software Developers | $95,500 | $113,390 | $113,610 (+19.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,940 | $79,830 | $79,985 (+2.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $93,540 | $94,300 | $94,483 (+1.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.