City comparison
Syracuse, NY vs Toledo, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Syracuse, NY are 4.7% higher than in Toledo, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Toledo, OH would need about $104,700 in Syracuse, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,123 a month in Syracuse, NY versus $820 in Toledo, OH. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Syracuse, NY and 13% in Toledo, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,892 a year higher in Syracuse, NY than in Toledo, OH.
- 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 Syracuse, NY to Toledo, OH changes real buying power by +4.7%, purely from prices.
- Syracuse, NY: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
- Toledo, OH: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Syracuse, NY | Toledo, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.7 | 91.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,522 in Toledo | $104,688 in Syracuse |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,123/mo | $820/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,990 | $48,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Syracuse, NY MSA and Toledo, OH MSA. Metro areas: Syracuse, NY and Toledo, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Syracuse | Toledo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 80.7 | 67.3 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 133.4 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 95.7 | 91.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Syracuse, NY → Toledo, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.7%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$2,892/yr.
83 Strong offer
Toledo, OH → Syracuse, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$2,892/yr.
55 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 Syracuse, NY to Toledo, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Syracuse, NY | Toledo, OH | Real change, Syracuse → Toledo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +4.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +4.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +4.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +4.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +4.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Syracuse, NY | Toledo, OH | Toledo pay in Syracuse dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,560 | $63,250 | $66,215 (−15.7%) |
| Software Developers | $129,100 | $104,360 | $109,252 (−15.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,230 | $77,400 | $81,028 (−1.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,960 | $81,050 | $84,849 (−2.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.