City comparison
Syracuse, NY vs Tuscaloosa, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Syracuse, NY are 9.1% higher than in Tuscaloosa, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tuscaloosa, AL would need about $109,100 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 $972 in Tuscaloosa, AL. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Syracuse, NY and 16% in Tuscaloosa, AL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,860 a year in NY and $4,735 in AL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.0% moving from Syracuse, NY to Tuscaloosa, AL ($106,437 → $107,510), while prices change by −8.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.2% in real buying power.
- Syracuse, NY: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
- Tuscaloosa, AL: price level 87.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Syracuse, NY | Tuscaloosa, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.7 | 87.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,623 in Tuscaloosa | $109,143 in Syracuse |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,123/mo | $972/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,990 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL |
Rent areas: Syracuse, NY MSA and Tuscaloosa, AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Syracuse, NY and Tuscaloosa, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Syracuse | Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 80.7 | 58.2 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 133.4 | 84.4 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 95.7 | 87.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Syracuse, NY → Tuscaloosa, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$125/yr.
97 Strong offer
Tuscaloosa, AL → Syracuse, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$125/yr.
43 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Syracuse, NY is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Tuscaloosa, AL is in Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Syracuse, NY to Tuscaloosa, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Syracuse, NY | Tuscaloosa, AL | Real change, Syracuse → Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,344 | +10.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,431 | +10.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,410 | +10.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,510 | +10.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,044 | +10.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Syracuse, NY | Tuscaloosa, AL | Tuscaloosa pay in Syracuse dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,560 | $60,220 | $65,726 (−16.3%) |
| Software Developers | $129,100 | $104,870 | $114,458 (−11.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,230 | $71,690 | $78,244 (−4.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,960 | $75,250 | $82,130 (−5.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.