City comparison
Roanoke, VA vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Syracuse, NY are 2.3% higher than in Roanoke, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Roanoke, VA would need about $102,300 in Syracuse, NY to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,123 a month in Syracuse, NY versus $1,053 in Roanoke, VA. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Syracuse, NY and 17% in Roanoke, VA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,936 a year in VA and $4,860 in NY.
- 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 Roanoke, VA to Syracuse, NY changes real buying power by −2.2%, purely from prices.
- Roanoke, VA: price level 93.6 (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
| Roanoke, VA | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.6 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,269 in Syracuse | $97,782 in Roanoke |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,053/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,244 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,936 (VA) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,140 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Roanoke, VA and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Roanoke | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 78.5 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 88.9 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 93.6 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Roanoke, VA → Syracuse, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$76/yr.
62 Fair offer
Syracuse, NY → Roanoke, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$76/yr.
76 Strong 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 Roanoke, VA to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Roanoke, VA | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Roanoke → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −2.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −2.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −2.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −2.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −2.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Roanoke, VA | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Roanoke dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,010 | $78,560 | $76,817 (+23.9%) |
| Software Developers | $121,110 | $129,100 | $126,236 (+4.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,240 | $82,230 | $80,406 (+4.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,090 | $86,960 | $85,031 (+6.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.