City comparison
Syracuse, NY vs York, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Syracuse, NY (95.7) and York, PA (96.0, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Syracuse, NY goes as far as $100,300 in York, PA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,123 a month in Syracuse, NY versus $1,060 in York, PA. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Syracuse, NY and 17% in York, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,790 a year higher in Syracuse, NY than in York, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +14.4% moving from Syracuse, NY to York, PA ($106,437 → $121,785), while prices change by +0.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +14.1% in real buying power.
- Syracuse, NY: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
- York, PA: price level 96.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Syracuse, NY | York, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.7 | 96.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,269 in York | $99,731 in Syracuse |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,123/mo | $1,060/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,990 | $48,170 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Syracuse, NY MSA and York-Hanover, PA MSA. Metro areas: Syracuse, NY and York-Hanover, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Syracuse | York |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 80.7 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 133.4 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 95.7 | 96.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Syracuse, NY → York, PA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,790/yr.
68 Fair offer
York, PA → Syracuse, NY
Roughly even
Buying power +0.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,790/yr.
70 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Syracuse, NY is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; York, PA is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Syracuse, NY to York, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Syracuse, NY | York, PA | Real change, Syracuse → York |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $70,623 | +14.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $85,447 | +14.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $102,415 | +14.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $121,785 | +14.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $143,913 | +14.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Syracuse, NY | York, PA | York pay in Syracuse dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,560 | $79,730 | $79,516 (+1.2%) |
| Software Developers | $129,100 | $114,600 | $114,292 (−11.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,230 | $75,160 | $74,958 (−8.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,960 | $96,210 | $95,951 (+10.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.