City comparison
Madison, WI vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Madison, WI are 1.6% higher than in Syracuse, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Syracuse, NY would need about $101,600 in Madison, WI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,482 a month in Madison, WI versus $1,123 in Syracuse, NY. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Madison, WI and 18% in Syracuse, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $940 a year higher in Syracuse, NY than in Madison, WI.
- 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 Madison, WI to Syracuse, NY changes real buying power by +1.6%, purely from prices.
- Madison, WI: price level 97.3 (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
| Madison, WI | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,412 in Syracuse | $101,614 in Madison |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,482/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,080 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Madison, WI and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Madison | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.7 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 89.8 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Madison, WI → Syracuse, NY
Roughly even
Buying power +1.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$940/yr.
74 Strong offer
Syracuse, NY → Madison, WI
Roughly even
Buying power −1.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$940/yr.
64 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 Madison, WI to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Madison, WI | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Madison → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +1.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +1.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +1.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +1.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +1.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Madison, WI | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Madison dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,690 | $78,560 | $79,828 (+25.3%) |
| Software Developers | $130,630 | $129,100 | $131,183 (+0.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,130 | $82,230 | $83,557 (+3.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,190 | $86,960 | $88,363 (−12.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.