City comparison
Louisville, KY vs Utica, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Louisville, KY (93.1) and Utica, NY (92.7, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Louisville, KY goes as far as $99,600 in Utica, NY.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,047 a month in Louisville, KY versus $926 in Utica, NY. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Louisville, KY and 15% in Utica, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,477 a year higher in Utica, NY than in Louisville, KY.
- 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 Louisville, KY to Utica, NY changes real buying power by +0.4%, purely from prices.
- Louisville, KY: price level 93.1 (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
| Louisville, KY | Utica, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,575 in Utica | $100,427 in Louisville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,047/mo | $926/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,798 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,382 (KY) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,370 | $48,970 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Louisville, KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Utica-Rome, NY MSA. Metro areas: Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN and Utica-Rome, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Louisville | Utica |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 78.6 | 66.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 75.0 | 131.9 |
| Other services | 96.8 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Louisville, KY → Utica, NY
Roughly even
Buying power +0.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,477/yr.
70 Strong offer
Utica, NY → Louisville, KY
Roughly even
Buying power −0.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,477/yr.
67 Fair 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 Louisville, KY to Utica, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Louisville, KY | Utica, NY | Real change, Louisville → Utica |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +0.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +0.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +0.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +0.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +0.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Louisville, KY | Utica, NY | Utica pay in Louisville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,610 | $77,010 | $77,339 (+25.5%) |
| Software Developers | $110,270 | $113,390 | $113,874 (+3.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,320 | $79,830 | $80,171 (+5.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,850 | $94,300 | $94,703 (+11.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.