City comparison
St. Louis, MO vs Utica, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in St. Louis, MO are 2.6% higher than in Utica, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Utica, NY would need about $102,600 in St. Louis, MO to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $995 a month in St. Louis, MO versus $926 in Utica, NY. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in St. Louis, MO and 15% in Utica, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,097 a year higher in Utica, NY than in St. Louis, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.5% moving from St. Louis, MO to Utica, NY ($109,137 → $106,437), while prices change by −2.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.1% in real buying power.
- St. Louis, MO: price level 95.1 (cheaper)
- 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
| St. Louis, MO | Utica, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.1 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,466 in Utica | $102,600 in St. Louis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $995/mo | $926/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,417 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,763 (MO) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $48,970 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area and Utica-Rome, NY MSA. Metro areas: St. Louis, MO-IL and Utica-Rome, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | St. Louis | Utica |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.0 | 66.1 |
| Goods | 100.0 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 69.9 | 131.9 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 95.1 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
St. Louis, MO → Utica, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.6%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,097/yr.
77 Strong offer
Utica, NY → St. Louis, MO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,097/yr.
61 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
St. Louis, MO is in the St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL pay area; Utica, NY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from St. Louis, MO to Utica, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | St. Louis, MO | Utica, NY | Real change, St. Louis → Utica |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,288 | $61,722 | +0.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,573 | $74,678 | +0.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,779 | $89,508 | +0.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,137 | $106,437 | +0.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,967 | $125,776 | +0.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | St. Louis, MO | Utica, NY | Utica pay in St. Louis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $106,420 | $98,280 | $100,836 (−5.2%) |
| Software Developers | $129,030 | $113,390 | $116,339 (−9.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,880 | $79,830 | $81,906 (+3.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,180 | $94,300 | $96,752 (+16.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.