City comparison
Oxnard, CA vs Rochester, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Oxnard, CA are 13.9% higher than in Rochester, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Rochester, NY would need about $113,900 in Oxnard, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,250 a month in Oxnard, CA versus $1,256 in Rochester, NY. On $100,000, that's 36% of take-home pay in Oxnard, 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 −13.6% moving from Oxnard, CA to Rochester, NY ($124,085 → $107,182), while prices change by −12.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.6% in real buying power.
- Oxnard, CA: price level 110.5 (much 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
| Oxnard, CA | Rochester, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 110.5 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,787 in Rochester | $113,911 in Oxnard |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,250/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 | 36% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,510 | $51,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY |
Rent areas: Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA MSA and Rochester, NY MSA. Metro areas: Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA and Rochester, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Oxnard | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 171.1 | 87.5 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 152.9 | 133.2 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 110.5 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Oxnard, CA → Rochester, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.9%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$211/yr.
100 Strong offer
Rochester, NY → Oxnard, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.2%; rent takes 36% of take-home; state tax +$211/yr.
20 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Oxnard, CA is in the Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA pay area; Rochester, NY is in Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Oxnard, CA to Rochester, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Oxnard, CA | Rochester, NY | Real change, Oxnard → Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,957 | $62,155 | −1.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $87,061 | $75,202 | −1.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $104,349 | $90,135 | −1.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $124,085 | $107,182 | −1.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $146,632 | $126,657 | −1.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Oxnard, CA | Rochester, NY | Rochester pay in Oxnard dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $99,420 | $62,840 | $71,582 (−28.0%) |
| Software Developers | $159,430 | $122,770 | $139,849 (−12.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $90,340 | $80,890 | $92,143 (+2.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $131,160 | $86,570 | $98,613 (−24.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.