City comparison
Fresno, CA vs Rochester, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fresno, CA are 5.3% higher than in Rochester, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Rochester, NY would need about $105,300 in Fresno, CA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,355 a month in Fresno, CA versus $1,256 in Rochester, NY. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Fresno, CA and 20% in Rochester, NY.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $5,070 a year in CA and $4,860 in NY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.2% moving from Fresno, CA to Rochester, NY ($106,973 → $107,182), while prices change by −5.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.5% in real buying power.
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (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
| Fresno, CA | Rochester, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.2 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,985 in Rochester | $105,280 in Fresno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,355/mo | $1,256/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,910 | $51,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY |
Rent areas: Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Rochester, NY MSA. Metro areas: Fresno, CA and Rochester, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fresno | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.7 | 87.5 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 133.2 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 102.2 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fresno, CA → Rochester, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$211/yr.
85 Strong offer
Rochester, NY → Fresno, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$211/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fresno, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; Rochester, NY is in Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Fresno, CA to Rochester, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fresno, CA | Rochester, NY | Real change, Fresno → Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $62,155 | +5.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $75,202 | +5.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $90,135 | +5.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $107,182 | +5.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $126,657 | +5.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fresno, CA | Rochester, NY | Rochester pay in Fresno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,800 | $62,840 | $66,158 (−16.0%) |
| Software Developers | $129,060 | $122,770 | $129,252 (+0.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,690 | $80,890 | $85,161 (+8.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | $86,570 | $91,140 (−27.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.