City comparison
Gulfport, MS 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 6.4% higher than in Gulfport, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Gulfport, MS would need about $106,400 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 $923 in Gulfport, MS. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Syracuse, NY and 15% in Gulfport, MS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,592 a year higher in Syracuse, NY than in Gulfport, MS.
- 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 Gulfport, MS to Syracuse, NY changes real buying power by −6.0%, purely from prices.
- Gulfport, MS: price level 90.0 (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
| Gulfport, MS | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.0 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,373 in Syracuse | $94,009 in Gulfport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $923/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,912 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,268 (MS) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,470 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Gulfport-Biloxi, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Gulfport-Biloxi, MS and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Gulfport | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 67.9 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 76.3 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 90.0 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Gulfport, MS → Syracuse, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,592/yr.
50 Fair offer
Syracuse, NY → Gulfport, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,592/yr.
89 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 Gulfport, MS to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Gulfport, MS | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Gulfport → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −6.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −6.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −6.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −6.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −6.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Gulfport, MS | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Gulfport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $89,840 | $108,270 | $101,783 (+13.3%) |
| Software Developers | $104,240 | $129,100 | $121,365 (+16.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,380 | $82,230 | $77,304 (+1.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,960 | $86,960 | $81,750 (+3.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.