City comparison
Stockton, CA vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Stockton, CA are 9.8% higher than in Syracuse, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Syracuse, NY would need about $109,800 in Stockton, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,395 a month in Stockton, CA versus $1,123 in Syracuse, NY. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Stockton, CA and 18% in Syracuse, 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 −20.0% moving from Stockton, CA to Syracuse, NY ($133,060 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −12.2% in real buying power.
- Stockton, CA: price level 105.1 (pricier)
- 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
| Stockton, CA | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.1 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,106 in Syracuse | $109,763 in Stockton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,395/mo | $1,123/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 | 23% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,990 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Stockton-Lodi, CA MSA and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Stockton-Lodi, CA and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Stockton | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 115.6 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 158.2 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 105.1 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Stockton, CA → Syracuse, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$211/yr.
99 Strong offer
Syracuse, NY → Stockton, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$211/yr.
41 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Stockton, CA is in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA pay area; Syracuse, NY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Stockton, CA to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Stockton, CA | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Stockton → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $61,722 | −12.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $74,678 | −12.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $89,508 | −12.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $106,437 | −12.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $125,776 | −12.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Stockton, CA | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Stockton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $97,400 | $78,560 | $86,230 (−11.5%) |
| Software Developers | $138,550 | $129,100 | $141,704 (+2.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,570 | $82,230 | $90,258 (+8.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $134,580 | $86,960 | $95,450 (−29.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.