City comparison
Portland, ME vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 6.4% higher than in Syracuse, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Syracuse, NY would need about $106,400 in Portland, ME to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,658 a month in Portland, ME versus $1,123 in Syracuse, NY. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 18% in Syracuse, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $795 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Syracuse, NY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.7% moving from Portland, ME to Syracuse, NY ($120,548 → $106,437), while prices change by −6.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.1% in real buying power.
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (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
| Portland, ME | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.9 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,996 in Syracuse | $106,388 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,658/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,526 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,654 (ME) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,960 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Portland-South Portland, ME and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.2 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 97.2 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 134.6 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 103.2 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 101.9 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, ME → Syracuse, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$795/yr.
89 Strong offer
Syracuse, NY → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.0%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$795/yr.
47 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Portland, ME is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Syracuse, NY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, ME to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, ME | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Portland → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $61,722 | −6.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $74,678 | −6.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $89,508 | −6.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $106,437 | −6.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $125,776 | −6.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, ME | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,770 | $78,560 | $83,578 (+8.9%) |
| Software Developers | $128,710 | $129,100 | $137,347 (+6.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,790 | $82,230 | $87,483 (+9.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $88,470 | $86,960 | $92,515 (+4.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.