City comparison
Richmond, VA vs York, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Richmond, VA are 1.9% higher than in York, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in York, PA would need about $101,900 in Richmond, VA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Richmond, VA versus $1,060 in York, PA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Richmond, VA and 17% in York, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,866 a year higher in Richmond, VA than in York, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.5% moving from Richmond, VA to York, PA ($111,183 → $121,785), while prices change by −1.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.7% in real buying power.
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
- York, PA: price level 96.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Richmond, VA | York, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.9 | 96.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,101 in York | $101,935 in Richmond |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $1,060/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,244 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,936 (VA) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,460 | $48,170 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Richmond, VA | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area and York-Hanover, PA MSA. Metro areas: Richmond, VA and York-Hanover, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Richmond | York |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.1 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 97.9 | 96.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Richmond, VA → York, PA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,866/yr.
75 Strong offer
York, PA → Richmond, VA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,866/yr.
63 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Richmond, VA is in the Richmond, VA pay area; York, PA is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Richmond, VA to York, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Richmond, VA | York, PA | Real change, Richmond → York |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,475 | $70,623 | +11.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,009 | $85,447 | +11.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,499 | $102,415 | +11.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,183 | $121,785 | +11.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,385 | $143,913 | +11.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Richmond, VA | York, PA | York pay in Richmond dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,290 | $79,730 | $81,273 (+32.6%) |
| Software Developers | $132,120 | $114,600 | $116,818 (−11.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,220 | $75,160 | $76,615 (−9.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $93,580 | $96,210 | $98,072 (+4.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.