City comparison
Omaha, NE vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Syracuse, NY are 4.2% higher than in Omaha, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Omaha, NE would need about $104,200 in Syracuse, NY to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,148 a month in Omaha, NE and $1,123 in Syracuse, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,189 a year higher in Syracuse, NY than in Omaha, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.0% moving from Omaha, NE to Syracuse, NY ($107,501 → $106,437), while prices change by +4.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.0% in real buying power.
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much 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
| Omaha, NE | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.9 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,168 in Syracuse | $95,999 in Omaha |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,148/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Omaha, NE-IA and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Omaha | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.4 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 76.4 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 91.9 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Omaha, NE → Syracuse, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,189/yr.
56 Fair offer
Syracuse, NY → Omaha, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,189/yr.
82 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Omaha, NE is in the Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA pay area; Syracuse, NY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Omaha, NE to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Omaha, NE | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Omaha → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,339 | $61,722 | −5.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,425 | $74,678 | −5.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,402 | $89,508 | −5.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,501 | $106,437 | −5.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,033 | $125,776 | −5.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Omaha, NE | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Omaha dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,670 | $78,560 | $75,417 (+20.3%) |
| Software Developers | $125,220 | $129,100 | $123,934 (−1.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,030 | $82,230 | $78,940 (+2.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,600 | $86,960 | $83,480 (−1.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.