City comparison
Scranton, PA vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Syracuse, NY are 2.3% higher than in Scranton, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Scranton, PA would need about $102,300 in Syracuse, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,123 a month in Syracuse, NY versus $1,028 in Scranton, PA. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Syracuse, NY and 16% in Scranton, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,790 a year higher in Syracuse, NY 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 Scranton, PA to Syracuse, NY changes real buying power by −2.3%, purely from prices.
- Scranton, PA: 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
| Scranton, PA | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.6 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,337 in Syracuse | $97,717 in Scranton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,028/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,330 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Scranton | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 67.0 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 106.5 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 93.6 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Scranton, PA → Syracuse, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,790/yr.
62 Fair offer
Syracuse, NY → Scranton, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.3%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,790/yr.
76 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
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 Scranton, PA to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Scranton, PA | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Scranton → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −2.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −2.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −2.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −2.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −2.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Scranton, PA | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Scranton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $100,210 | $108,270 | $105,798 (+5.6%) |
| Software Developers | $119,960 | $129,100 | $126,152 (+5.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,480 | $82,230 | $80,353 (+14.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,650 | $86,960 | $84,975 (+2.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.