City comparison
Kiryas Joel, NY vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Kiryas Joel, NY are 23.0% higher than in Wichita, KS. Someone earning $100,000 in Wichita, KS would need about $123,000 in Kiryas Joel, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,549 a month in Kiryas Joel, NY versus $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Kiryas Joel, NY and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,860 a year in NY and $4,780 in KS.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −15.1% moving from Kiryas Joel, NY to Wichita, KS ($125,431 → $106,437), while prices change by −18.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.4% in real buying power.
- Kiryas Joel, NY: price level 109.4 (much pricier)
- Wichita, KS: price level 88.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Kiryas Joel, NY | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 109.4 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $81,287 in Wichita | $123,021 in Kiryas Joel |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,549/mo | $849/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $4,780 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,990 | $47,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY MSA and Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kiryas Joel | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 115.8 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 110.3 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 136.8 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 106.5 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 109.4 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kiryas Joel, NY → Wichita, KS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +23.0%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$79/yr.
100 Strong offer
Wichita, KS → Kiryas Joel, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −18.7%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$79/yr.
37 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Kiryas Joel, NY is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Wichita, KS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Kiryas Joel, NY to Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kiryas Joel, NY | Wichita, KS | Real change, Kiryas Joel → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $61,722 | +4.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $74,678 | +4.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $89,508 | +4.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $106,437 | +4.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $125,776 | +4.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kiryas Joel, NY | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Kiryas Joel dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $81,770 | $58,640 | $72,139 (−11.8%) |
| Software Developers | $145,830 | $105,980 | $130,377 (−10.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,900 | $79,270 | $97,519 (+9.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $102,890 | $76,540 | $94,160 (−8.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.