City comparison
Utica, NY vs York, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in York, PA are 3.6% higher than in Utica, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Utica, NY would need about $103,600 in York, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,060 a month in York, PA versus $926 in Utica, NY. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in York, PA and 15% in Utica, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,790 a year higher in Utica, NY than in York, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +14.4% moving from Utica, NY to York, PA ($106,437 → $121,785), while prices change by +3.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.5% in real buying power.
- Utica, NY: price level 92.7 (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
| Utica, NY | York, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 96.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,584 in York | $96,540 in Utica |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $926/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 | 15% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,970 | $48,170 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Utica-Rome, NY MSA and York-Hanover, PA MSA. Metro areas: Utica-Rome, NY and York-Hanover, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Utica | York |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 66.1 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 131.9 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 96.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Utica, NY → York, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,790/yr.
58 Fair offer
York, PA → Utica, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.6%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,790/yr.
80 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Utica, 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 Utica, NY to York, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Utica, NY | York, PA | Real change, Utica → York |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $70,623 | +10.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $85,447 | +10.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $102,415 | +10.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $121,785 | +10.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $143,913 | +10.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Utica, NY | York, PA | York pay in Utica dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $77,010 | $79,730 | $76,971 (−0.1%) |
| Software Developers | $113,390 | $114,600 | $110,634 (−2.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,830 | $75,160 | $72,559 (−9.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $94,300 | $96,210 | $92,881 (−1.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.