City comparison
Philadelphia, PA vs Rochester, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 5.7% higher than in Rochester, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Rochester, NY would need about $105,700 in Philadelphia, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,520 a month in Philadelphia, PA versus $1,256 in Rochester, NY. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA and 20% in Rochester, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,790 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in Philadelphia, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.6% moving from Philadelphia, PA to Rochester, NY ($117,284 → $107,182), while prices change by −5.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.4% in real buying power.
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (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
| Philadelphia, PA | Rochester, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.6 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,618 in Rochester | $105,688 in Philadelphia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,520/mo | $1,256/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,310 | $51,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY |
Rent areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA and Rochester, NY MSA. Metro areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD and Rochester, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Philadelphia | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 113.1 | 87.5 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 114.4 | 133.2 |
| Other services | 103.1 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 102.6 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Philadelphia, PA → Rochester, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,790/yr.
87 Strong offer
Rochester, NY → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,790/yr.
52 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Philadelphia, PA is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Rochester, NY is in Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Philadelphia, PA to Rochester, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Philadelphia, PA | Rochester, NY | Real change, Philadelphia → Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $62,155 | −3.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $75,202 | −3.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $90,135 | −3.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $107,182 | −3.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $126,657 | −3.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Philadelphia, PA | Rochester, NY | Rochester pay in Philadelphia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,570 | $62,840 | $66,414 (−15.5%) |
| Software Developers | $133,040 | $122,770 | $129,753 (−2.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,990 | $80,890 | $85,491 (−0.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,180 | $86,570 | $91,494 (−9.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.