City comparison
Green Bay, WI vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Syracuse, NY are 2.9% higher than in Green Bay, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Green Bay, WI would need about $102,900 in Syracuse, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,123 a month in Syracuse, NY versus $931 in Green Bay, WI. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Syracuse, NY and 15% in Green Bay, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $940 a year higher in Syracuse, NY than in Green Bay, WI.
- 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 Green Bay, WI to Syracuse, NY changes real buying power by −2.8%, purely from prices.
- Green Bay, WI: price level 93.1 (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
| Green Bay, WI | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,853 in Syracuse | $97,226 in Green Bay |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $931/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,940 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Green Bay, WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Green Bay, WI and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Green Bay | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.7 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 90.0 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Green Bay, WI → Syracuse, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$940/yr.
60 Fair offer
Syracuse, NY → Green Bay, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.9%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$940/yr.
78 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 Green Bay, WI to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Green Bay, WI | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Green Bay → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −2.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −2.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −2.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −2.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −2.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Green Bay, WI | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Green Bay dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,600 | $78,560 | $76,381 (+26.0%) |
| Software Developers | $103,160 | $129,100 | $125,519 (+21.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,720 | $82,230 | $79,949 (+2.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,700 | $86,960 | $84,548 (−0.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.