City comparison
Provo, UT vs Utica, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Provo, UT are 6.0% higher than in Utica, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Utica, NY would need about $106,000 in Provo, UT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,265 a month in Provo, UT versus $926 in Utica, NY. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Provo, UT and 15% in Utica, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,326 a year higher in Utica, NY than in Provo, 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 Provo, UT to Utica, NY changes real buying power by +6.0%, purely from prices.
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (about average)
- 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
| Provo, UT | Utica, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.2 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,346 in Utica | $105,993 in Provo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,265/mo | $926/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% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,010 | $48,970 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA and Utica-Rome, NY MSA. Metro areas: Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT and Utica-Rome, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Provo | Utica |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.1 | 66.1 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 78.6 | 131.9 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 98.2 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Provo, UT → Utica, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,326/yr.
87 Strong offer
Utica, NY → Provo, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,326/yr.
51 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 Provo, UT to Utica, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Provo, UT | Utica, NY | Real change, Provo → Utica |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +6.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +6.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +6.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +6.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +6.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Provo, UT | Utica, NY | Utica pay in Provo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,930 | $77,010 | $81,625 (+29.7%) |
| Software Developers | $131,210 | $113,390 | $120,185 (−8.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,700 | $79,830 | $84,614 (+11.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,780 | $94,300 | $99,951 (+22.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.