City comparison
Baton Rouge, LA vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Syracuse, NY are 5.5% higher than in Baton Rouge, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Baton Rouge, LA would need about $105,500 in Syracuse, NY to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,123 a month in Syracuse, NY versus $1,064 in Baton Rouge, LA. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Syracuse, NY and 17% in Baton Rouge, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,246 a year higher in Syracuse, NY than in Baton Rouge, LA.
- 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 Baton Rouge, LA to Syracuse, NY changes real buying power by −5.2%, purely from prices.
- Baton Rouge, LA: price level 90.8 (much cheaper)
- Syracuse, NY: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Baton Rouge, LA | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.8 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,466 in Syracuse | $94,817 in Baton Rouge |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,064/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,566 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,614 (LA) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,710 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Baton Rouge, LA HUD Metro FMR Area and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Baton Rouge, LA and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baton Rouge | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.2 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 71.2 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 90.8 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baton Rouge, LA → Syracuse, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$2,246/yr.
53 Fair offer
Syracuse, NY → Baton Rouge, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,246/yr.
86 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
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 Baton Rouge, LA to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baton Rouge, LA | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Baton Rouge → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −5.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −5.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −5.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −5.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −5.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baton Rouge, LA | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Baton Rouge dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $107,380 | $108,270 | $102,659 (−4.4%) |
| Software Developers | $101,900 | $129,100 | $122,409 (+20.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,070 | $82,230 | $77,968 (+6.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,130 | $86,960 | $82,453 (+1.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.