City comparison
Spartanburg, SC vs Utica, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Utica, NY are 1.8% higher than in Spartanburg, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Spartanburg, SC would need about $101,800 in Utica, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,083 a month in Spartanburg, SC versus $926 in Utica, NY. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Spartanburg, SC and 15% in Utica, NY.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,843 a year in SC and $4,860 in NY.
- 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 Spartanburg, SC to Utica, NY changes real buying power by −1.8%, purely from prices.
- Spartanburg, SC: price level 91.1 (much 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
| Spartanburg, SC | Utica, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.1 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,787 in Utica | $98,244 in Spartanburg |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,083/mo | $926/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,650 | $48,970 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Spartanburg, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Utica-Rome, NY MSA. Metro areas: Spartanburg, SC and Utica-Rome, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Spartanburg | Utica |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.0 | 66.1 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 131.9 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 91.1 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Spartanburg, SC → Utica, NY
Roughly even
Buying power −1.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$17/yr.
63 Fair offer
Utica, NY → Spartanburg, SC
Roughly even
Buying power +1.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$17/yr.
74 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 Spartanburg, SC to Utica, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Spartanburg, SC | Utica, NY | Real change, Spartanburg → Utica |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Spartanburg, SC | Utica, NY | Utica pay in Spartanburg dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,990 | $77,010 | $75,658 (+24.0%) |
| Software Developers | $114,460 | $113,390 | $111,399 (−2.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,080 | $79,830 | $78,429 (+1.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,360 | $94,300 | $92,645 (+12.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.