City comparison
Madison, WI vs Rochester, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Madison, WI (97.3) and Rochester, NY (97.0, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Madison, WI goes as far as $99,700 in Rochester, NY.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,482 a month in Madison, WI versus $1,256 in Rochester, NY. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Madison, WI and 20% in Rochester, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $940 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in Madison, WI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.7% moving from Madison, WI to Rochester, NY ($106,437 → $107,182), while prices change by −0.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.0% in real buying power.
- Madison, WI: price level 97.3 (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
| Madison, WI | Rochester, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,741 in Rochester | $100,260 in Madison |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,482/mo | $1,256/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,080 | $51,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY |
Rent areas: Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Rochester, NY MSA. Metro areas: Madison, WI and Rochester, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Madison | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.7 | 87.5 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 89.8 | 133.2 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Madison, WI → Rochester, NY
Roughly even
Buying power +0.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$940/yr.
70 Fair offer
Rochester, NY → Madison, WI
Roughly even
Buying power −0.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$940/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Madison, WI is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Rochester, NY is in Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Madison, WI to Rochester, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Madison, WI | Rochester, NY | Real change, Madison → Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,155 | +1.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,202 | +1.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,135 | +1.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,182 | +1.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,657 | +1.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Madison, WI | Rochester, NY | Rochester pay in Madison dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,690 | $62,840 | $63,003 (−1.1%) |
| Software Developers | $130,630 | $122,770 | $123,089 (−5.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,130 | $80,890 | $81,100 (−0.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,190 | $86,570 | $86,795 (−14.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.