City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Rochester, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 8.4% higher than in Rochester, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Rochester, NY would need about $108,400 in Boulder, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $1,256 in Rochester, NY. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 20% in Rochester, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,168 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in Boulder, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.7% moving from Boulder, CO to Rochester, NY ($118,675 → $107,182), while prices change by −7.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.1% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- 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
| Boulder, CO | Rochester, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,237 in Rochester | $108,417 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,256/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $51,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Rochester, NY MSA. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Rochester, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 87.5 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 133.2 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Rochester, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.4%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,168/yr.
95 Strong offer
Rochester, NY → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.8%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax −$1,168/yr.
39 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Rochester, NY is in Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Rochester, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Rochester, NY | Real change, Boulder → Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $62,155 | −2.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $75,202 | −2.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $90,135 | −2.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $107,182 | −2.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $126,657 | −2.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Rochester, NY | Rochester pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $62,840 | $68,129 (−15.5%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $122,770 | $133,103 (−19.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $80,890 | $87,698 (−12.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $86,570 | $93,856 (−9.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.