City comparison
Harrisburg, PA vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Harrisburg, PA are 3.0% higher than in Syracuse, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Syracuse, NY would need about $103,000 in Harrisburg, PA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,212 a month in Harrisburg, PA versus $1,123 in Syracuse, NY. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Harrisburg, PA and 18% in Syracuse, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,790 a year higher in Syracuse, NY than in Harrisburg, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.0% moving from Harrisburg, PA to Syracuse, NY ($108,592 → $106,437), while prices change by −2.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.0% in real buying power.
- Harrisburg, PA: price level 98.7 (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
| Harrisburg, PA | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.7 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,052 in Syracuse | $103,037 in Harrisburg |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,212/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,610 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA MSA and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Harrisburg | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 96.3 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 108.1 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 98.7 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Harrisburg, PA → Syracuse, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,790/yr.
78 Strong offer
Syracuse, NY → Harrisburg, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,790/yr.
60 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Harrisburg, PA is in the Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA pay area; Syracuse, NY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Harrisburg, PA to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Harrisburg, PA | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Harrisburg → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,972 | $61,722 | +1.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,190 | $74,678 | +1.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,320 | $89,508 | +1.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,592 | $106,437 | +1.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,323 | $125,776 | +1.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Harrisburg, PA | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Harrisburg dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $77,160 | $78,560 | $80,946 (+4.9%) |
| Software Developers | $109,470 | $129,100 | $133,021 (+21.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,510 | $82,230 | $84,728 (+10.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,770 | $86,960 | $89,601 (−7.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.