City comparison
Salt Lake City, UT vs Scranton, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salt Lake City, UT are 7.8% higher than in Scranton, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Scranton, PA would need about $107,800 in Salt Lake City, UT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,456 a month in Salt Lake City, UT versus $1,028 in Scranton, PA. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Salt Lake City, UT and 16% in Scranton, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $464 a year higher in Salt Lake City, UT than in Scranton, PA.
- 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 Salt Lake City, UT to Scranton, PA changes real buying power by +7.8%, purely from prices.
- Salt Lake City, UT: price level 100.9 (about average)
- Scranton, PA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Salt Lake City, UT | Scranton, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,751 in Scranton | $107,816 in Salt Lake City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,456/mo | $1,028/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,646 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,534 (UT) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,240 | $46,330 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Salt Lake City, UT HUD Metro FMR Area and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA. Metro areas: Salt Lake City-Murray, UT and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Salt Lake City | Scranton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 123.3 | 67.0 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 79.0 | 106.5 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Salt Lake City, UT → Scranton, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$464/yr.
93 Strong offer
Scranton, PA → Salt Lake City, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$464/yr.
46 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 Salt Lake City, UT to Scranton, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Salt Lake City, UT | Scranton, PA | Real change, Salt Lake City → Scranton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +7.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +7.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +7.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +7.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +7.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Salt Lake City, UT | Scranton, PA | Scranton pay in Salt Lake City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $77,920 | $76,590 | $82,576 (+6.0%) |
| Software Developers | $129,600 | $119,960 | $129,336 (−0.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,100 | $70,480 | $75,988 (−7.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $85,890 | $82,650 | $89,110 (+3.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.