City comparison
Syracuse, NY vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Worcester, MA are 7.1% higher than in Syracuse, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Syracuse, NY would need about $107,100 in Worcester, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,599 a month in Worcester, MA versus $1,123 in Syracuse, NY. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 18% in Syracuse, NY.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,860 a year in NY and $4,780 in MA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Syracuse, NY to Worcester, MA ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +7.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.8% in real buying power.
- Syracuse, NY: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
- Worcester, MA: price level 102.5 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Syracuse, NY | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.7 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,083 in Worcester | $93,386 in Syracuse |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,123/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,990 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Syracuse, NY MSA and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Syracuse, NY and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Syracuse | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 80.7 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 133.4 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 95.7 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Syracuse, NY → Worcester, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.6%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$80/yr.
47 Fair offer
Worcester, MA → Syracuse, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$80/yr.
91 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Syracuse, NY is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Syracuse, NY to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Syracuse, NY | Worcester, MA | Real change, Syracuse → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +5.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +5.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +5.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +5.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +5.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Syracuse, NY | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Syracuse dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,560 | $82,810 | $77,333 (−1.6%) |
| Software Developers | $129,100 | $146,950 | $137,231 (+6.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,230 | $94,070 | $87,848 (+6.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,960 | $100,240 | $93,610 (+7.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.