City comparison
Brownsville, TX vs Utica, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Utica, NY are 7.8% higher than in Brownsville, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Brownsville, TX would need about $107,800 in Utica, NY to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $926 a month in Utica, NY versus $866 in Brownsville, TX. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in Utica, NY and 13% in Brownsville, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Utica, NY than in Brownsville, TX.
- 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 Brownsville, TX to Utica, NY changes real buying power by −7.2%, purely from prices.
- Brownsville, TX: price level 86.0 (much cheaper)
- Utica, NY: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Brownsville, TX | Utica, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 86.0 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,796 in Utica | $92,767 in Brownsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $866/mo | $926/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $36,490 | $48,970 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Brownsville-Harlingen, TX MSA and Utica-Rome, NY MSA. Metro areas: Brownsville-Harlingen, TX and Utica-Rome, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Brownsville | Utica |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 57.7 | 66.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 81.2 | 131.9 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 86.0 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Brownsville, TX → Utica, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
46 Fair offer
Utica, NY → Brownsville, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.8%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
93 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
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 Brownsville, TX to Utica, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Brownsville, TX | Utica, NY | Real change, Brownsville → Utica |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −7.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −7.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −7.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −7.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −7.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Brownsville, TX | Utica, NY | Utica pay in Brownsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,350 | $77,010 | $71,440 (+12.8%) |
| Software Developers | $106,990 | $113,390 | $105,189 (−1.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $66,440 | $79,830 | $74,056 (+11.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,090 | $94,300 | $87,480 (+7.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.