City comparison
Lafayette, LA vs Utica, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Utica, NY are 6.3% higher than in Lafayette, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Lafayette, LA would need about $106,300 in Utica, NY to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $898 a month in Lafayette, LA and $926 in Utica, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,246 a year higher in Utica, NY than in Lafayette, LA.
- 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 Lafayette, LA to Utica, NY changes real buying power by −5.9%, purely from prices.
- Lafayette, LA: price level 87.2 (much cheaper)
- Utica, NY: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lafayette, LA | Utica, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 87.2 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,271 in Utica | $94,099 in Lafayette |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $898/mo | $926/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,566 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,614 (LA) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $41,780 | $48,970 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Lafayette, LA HUD Metro FMR Area and Utica-Rome, NY MSA. Metro areas: Lafayette, LA and Utica-Rome, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lafayette | Utica |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 58.8 | 66.1 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 71.2 | 131.9 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 87.2 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lafayette, LA → Utica, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.9%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$2,246/yr.
50 Fair offer
Utica, NY → Lafayette, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.3%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$2,246/yr.
88 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 Lafayette, LA to Utica, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lafayette, LA | Utica, NY | Real change, Lafayette → Utica |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −5.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −5.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −5.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −5.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −5.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lafayette, LA | Utica, NY | Utica pay in Lafayette dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $83,030 | $98,280 | $92,480 (+11.4%) |
| Software Developers | $109,010 | $113,390 | $106,699 (−2.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $67,630 | $79,830 | $75,119 (+11.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,960 | $94,300 | $88,735 (+8.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.