City comparison
Ogden, UT vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Ogden, UT are 4.8% higher than in Syracuse, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Syracuse, NY would need about $104,800 in Ogden, UT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,281 a month in Ogden, UT versus $1,123 in Syracuse, NY. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Ogden, UT and 18% in Syracuse, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,326 a year higher in Syracuse, NY than in Ogden, UT.
- 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 Ogden, UT to Syracuse, NY changes real buying power by +4.8%, purely from prices.
- Ogden, UT: price level 100.3 (about average)
- 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
| Ogden, UT | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,409 in Syracuse | $104,812 in Ogden |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,281/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,646 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,534 (UT) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,900 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Ogden, UT MSA and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Ogden, UT and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ogden | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 117.9 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 78.8 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ogden, UT → Syracuse, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,326/yr.
84 Strong offer
Syracuse, NY → Ogden, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,326/yr.
54 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 Ogden, UT to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ogden, UT | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Ogden → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +4.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +4.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +4.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +4.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +4.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ogden, UT | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Ogden dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,910 | $78,560 | $82,340 (+28.8%) |
| Software Developers | $109,880 | $129,100 | $135,312 (+23.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,010 | $82,230 | $86,187 (+5.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,840 | $86,960 | $91,144 (+11.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.