City comparison
Akron, OH vs Rochester, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Rochester, NY are 3.9% higher than in Akron, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Akron, OH would need about $103,900 in Rochester, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,256 a month in Rochester, NY versus $985 in Akron, OH. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Rochester, NY and 15% in Akron, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,892 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in Akron, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.6% moving from Akron, OH to Rochester, NY ($111,138 → $107,182), while prices change by +3.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.2% in real buying power.
- Akron, OH: price level 93.4 (cheaper)
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Akron, OH | Rochester, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.4 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,925 in Rochester | $96,223 in Akron |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $985/mo | $1,256/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,840 | $51,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY |
Rent areas: Akron, OH MSA and Rochester, NY MSA. Metro areas: Akron, OH and Rochester, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Akron | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 87.5 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 96.4 | 133.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 93.4 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Akron, OH → Rochester, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.8%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$2,892/yr.
57 Fair offer
Rochester, NY → Akron, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.9%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$2,892/yr.
81 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Akron, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Rochester, NY is in Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Akron, OH to Rochester, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Akron, OH | Rochester, NY | Real change, Akron → Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $62,155 | −7.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $75,202 | −7.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $90,135 | −7.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $107,182 | −7.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $126,657 | −7.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Akron, OH | Rochester, NY | Rochester pay in Akron dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,560 | $62,840 | $60,467 (−23.0%) |
| Software Developers | $105,430 | $122,770 | $118,133 (+12.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,540 | $80,890 | $77,835 (−0.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,770 | $86,570 | $83,300 (+3.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.