City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 9.9% higher than in Syracuse, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Syracuse, NY would need about $109,900 in Boulder, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $1,123 in Syracuse, NY. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 18% in Syracuse, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,168 a year higher in Syracuse, NY than in Boulder, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.3% moving from Boulder, CO to Syracuse, NY ($118,675 → $106,437), while prices change by −9.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.5% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- 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
| Boulder, CO | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,008 in Syracuse | $109,881 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Syracuse, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,168/yr.
100 Strong offer
Syracuse, NY → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.0%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax −$1,168/yr.
35 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Syracuse, NY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Boulder → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,722 | −1.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,678 | −1.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,508 | −1.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,437 | −1.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $125,776 | −1.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $78,560 | $86,322 (+7.0%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $129,100 | $141,856 (−13.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $82,230 | $90,355 (−9.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $86,960 | $95,552 (−7.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.