City comparison
Syracuse, NY vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Syracuse, NY are 3.4% higher than in Waco, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Waco, TX would need about $103,400 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 $996 in Waco, TX. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Syracuse, NY and 15% in Waco, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Syracuse, NY than in Waco, TX.
- 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 Syracuse, NY to Waco, TX changes real buying power by +3.4%, purely from prices.
- Syracuse, NY: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
- Waco, TX: price level 92.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Syracuse, NY | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.7 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,666 in Waco | $103,449 in Syracuse |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,123/mo | $996/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,990 | $46,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Syracuse, NY MSA and Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Syracuse, NY and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Syracuse | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 80.7 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 133.4 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 95.7 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Syracuse, NY → Waco, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
80 Strong offer
Waco, TX → Syracuse, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
58 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 Syracuse, NY to Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Syracuse, NY | Waco, TX | Real change, Syracuse → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +3.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +3.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +3.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +3.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +3.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Syracuse, NY | Waco, TX | Waco pay in Syracuse dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,560 | $59,100 | $61,138 (−22.2%) |
| Software Developers | $129,100 | $123,080 | $127,325 (−1.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,230 | $76,140 | $78,766 (−4.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,960 | $92,890 | $96,094 (+10.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.