City comparison
Sacramento, CA vs Utica, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Sacramento, CA are 15.1% higher than in Utica, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Utica, NY would need about $115,100 in Sacramento, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,832 a month in Sacramento, CA versus $926 in Utica, NY. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Sacramento, CA and 15% in Utica, NY.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $5,070 a year in CA and $4,860 in NY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.8% moving from Sacramento, CA to Utica, NY ($117,984 → $106,437), while prices change by −13.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.8% in real buying power.
- Sacramento, CA: price level 106.7 (pricier)
- 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
| Sacramento, CA | Utica, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 106.7 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $86,883 in Utica | $115,097 in Sacramento |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,832/mo | $926/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 30% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,750 | $48,970 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Utica-Rome, NY MSA. Metro areas: Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA and Utica-Rome, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Sacramento | Utica |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 130.2 | 66.1 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 151.3 | 131.9 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 106.7 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Sacramento, CA → Utica, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$211/yr.
100 Strong offer
Utica, NY → Sacramento, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.1%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax +$211/yr.
31 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Sacramento, CA is in the Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV pay area; Utica, NY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Sacramento, CA to Utica, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Sacramento, CA | Utica, NY | Real change, Sacramento → Utica |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,419 | $61,722 | +3.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,780 | $74,678 | +3.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,218 | $89,508 | +3.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,984 | $106,437 | +3.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $139,422 | $125,776 | +3.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Sacramento, CA | Utica, NY | Utica pay in Sacramento dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $103,390 | $77,010 | $88,637 (−14.3%) |
| Software Developers | $139,640 | $113,390 | $130,509 (−6.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,110 | $79,830 | $91,882 (−0.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $171,460 | $94,300 | $108,537 (−36.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.