City comparison
Allentown, PA vs Rochester, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Allentown, PA are 3.0% higher than in Rochester, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Rochester, NY would need about $103,000 in Allentown, PA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,341 a month in Allentown, PA versus $1,256 in Rochester, NY. On $100,000, that's 21% of take-home pay in Allentown, PA and 20% in Rochester, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,790 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in Allentown, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −14.5% moving from Allentown, PA to Rochester, NY ($125,431 → $107,182), while prices change by −2.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −12.0% in real buying power.
- Allentown, PA: price level 100.0 (about average)
- 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
| Allentown, PA | Rochester, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,066 in Rochester | $103,023 in Allentown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,341/mo | $1,256/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 21% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,990 | $51,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY |
Rent areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Rochester, NY MSA. Metro areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ and Rochester, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Allentown | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.5 | 87.5 |
| Goods | 100.6 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 107.6 | 133.2 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Allentown, PA → Rochester, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.0%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,790/yr.
78 Strong offer
Rochester, NY → Allentown, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.9%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax −$1,790/yr.
60 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Allentown, PA is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Rochester, NY is in Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Allentown, PA to Rochester, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Allentown, PA | Rochester, NY | Real change, Allentown → Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $62,155 | −12.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $75,202 | −12.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $90,135 | −12.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $107,182 | −12.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $126,657 | −12.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Allentown, PA | Rochester, NY | Rochester pay in Allentown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,040 | $62,840 | $64,739 (−18.1%) |
| Software Developers | $122,930 | $122,770 | $126,481 (+2.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,430 | $80,890 | $83,335 (+6.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,440 | $86,570 | $89,187 (−12.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.