City comparison
Merced, CA vs Rochester, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Merced, CA are 1.3% higher than in Rochester, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Rochester, NY would need about $101,300 in Merced, CA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,213 a month in Merced, CA and $1,256 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 −19.4% moving from Merced, CA to Rochester, NY ($133,060 → $107,182), while prices change by −1.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −18.4% in real buying power.
- Merced, CA: price level 98.3 (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
| Merced, CA | Rochester, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.3 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,738 in Rochester | $101,278 in Merced |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,213/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 | 20% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,220 | $51,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY |
Rent areas: Merced, CA MSA and Rochester, NY MSA. Metro areas: Merced, CA and Rochester, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Merced | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 78.6 | 87.5 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 158.3 | 133.2 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 98.3 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Merced, CA → Rochester, NY
Roughly even
Buying power +1.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$211/yr.
73 Strong offer
Rochester, NY → Merced, CA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$211/yr.
65 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Merced, CA is in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA pay area; Rochester, NY is in Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Merced, CA to Rochester, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Merced, CA | Rochester, NY | Real change, Merced → Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $62,155 | −18.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $75,202 | −18.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $90,135 | −18.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $107,182 | −18.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $126,657 | −18.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Merced, CA | Rochester, NY | Rochester pay in Merced dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $100,120 | $62,840 | $63,643 (−36.4%) |
| Software Developers | $132,120 | $122,770 | $124,339 (−5.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,420 | $80,890 | $81,924 (+1.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $131,620 | $86,570 | $87,676 (−33.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.