City comparison
Tulsa, OK vs Utica, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Utica, NY are 3.9% higher than in Tulsa, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Tulsa, OK would need about $103,900 in Utica, NY to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $987 a month in Tulsa, OK versus $926 in Utica, NY. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Tulsa, OK and 15% in Utica, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $905 a year higher in Utica, NY than in Tulsa, OK.
- 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 Tulsa, OK to Utica, NY changes real buying power by −3.7%, purely from prices.
- Tulsa, OK: price level 89.2 (much 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
| Tulsa, OK | Utica, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.2 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,883 in Utica | $96,262 in Tulsa |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $987/mo | $926/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,226 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,955 (OK) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,670 | $48,970 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Tulsa, OK HUD Metro FMR Area and Utica-Rome, NY MSA. Metro areas: Tulsa, OK and Utica-Rome, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Tulsa | Utica |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.2 | 66.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 73.9 | 131.9 |
| Other services | 95.5 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 89.2 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Tulsa, OK → Utica, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.7%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$905/yr.
57 Fair offer
Utica, NY → Tulsa, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$905/yr.
81 Strong 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 Tulsa, OK to Utica, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Tulsa, OK | Utica, NY | Real change, Tulsa → Utica |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −3.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −3.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −3.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −3.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −3.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Tulsa, OK | Utica, NY | Utica pay in Tulsa dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $48,220 | $77,010 | $74,132 (+53.7%) |
| Software Developers | $108,730 | $113,390 | $109,152 (+0.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,320 | $79,830 | $76,846 (−5.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,790 | $94,300 | $90,775 (+7.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.