City comparison
Fort Collins, CO vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fort Collins, CO are 5.6% higher than in Syracuse, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Syracuse, NY would need about $105,600 in Fort Collins, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,537 a month in Fort Collins, CO versus $1,123 in Syracuse, NY. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Fort Collins, 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 Fort Collins, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.3% moving from Fort Collins, CO to Syracuse, NY ($118,675 → $106,437), while prices change by −5.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.3% in real buying power.
- Fort Collins, CO: price level 101.1 (about average)
- 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
| Fort Collins, CO | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.1 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,674 in Syracuse | $105,626 in Fort Collins |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/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 | 24% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,310 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO MSA and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Collins | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.6 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 82.2 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 101.1 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Collins, CO → Syracuse, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,168/yr.
86 Strong offer
Syracuse, NY → Fort Collins, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,168/yr.
52 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Collins, 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 Fort Collins, CO to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Collins, CO | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Fort Collins → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,722 | −5.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,678 | −5.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,508 | −5.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,437 | −5.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $125,776 | −5.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Collins, CO | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Fort Collins dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,930 | $78,560 | $82,979 (+31.9%) |
| Software Developers | $133,990 | $129,100 | $136,363 (+1.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $89,340 | $82,230 | $86,856 (−2.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,600 | $86,960 | $91,852 (−5.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.