City comparison
Jackson, MS vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Syracuse, NY are 7.5% higher than in Jackson, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Jackson, MS would need about $107,500 in Syracuse, NY to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,097 a month in Jackson, MS and $1,123 in Syracuse, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,592 a year higher in Syracuse, NY than in Jackson, 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 Jackson, MS to Syracuse, NY changes real buying power by −7.0%, purely from prices.
- Jackson, MS: price level 89.0 (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
| Jackson, MS | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.0 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,517 in Syracuse | $93,008 in Jackson |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,097/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 | 17% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $42,850 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Jackson, MS and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jackson | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.8 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 78.1 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 89.0 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jackson, MS → Syracuse, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,592/yr.
47 Fair offer
Syracuse, NY → Jackson, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,592/yr.
92 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 Jackson, MS to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jackson, MS | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Jackson → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −7.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −7.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −7.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −7.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −7.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jackson, MS | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Jackson dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,240 | $78,560 | $73,067 (+45.4%) |
| Software Developers | $96,990 | $129,100 | $120,074 (+23.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,720 | $82,230 | $76,481 (+8.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,630 | $86,960 | $80,880 (−2.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.