City comparison
Rochester, NY vs Scranton, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Rochester, NY are 3.7% higher than in Scranton, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Scranton, PA would need about $103,700 in Rochester, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,256 a month in Rochester, NY versus $1,028 in Scranton, PA. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Rochester, NY and 16% in Scranton, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,790 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in Scranton, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.7% moving from Rochester, NY to Scranton, PA ($107,182 → $106,437), while prices change by −3.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.0% in real buying power.
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
- Scranton, PA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Rochester, NY | Scranton, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.0 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,415 in Scranton | $103,719 in Rochester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,256/mo | $1,028/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,210 | $46,330 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Rochester, NY MSA and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA. Metro areas: Rochester, NY and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Rochester | Scranton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.5 | 67.0 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 133.2 | 106.5 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 97.0 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Rochester, NY → Scranton, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,790/yr.
80 Strong offer
Scranton, PA → Rochester, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,790/yr.
58 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Rochester, NY is in the Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY pay area; Scranton, PA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Rochester, NY to Scranton, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Rochester, NY | Scranton, PA | Real change, Rochester → Scranton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,155 | $61,722 | +3.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,202 | $74,678 | +3.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,135 | $89,508 | +3.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,182 | $106,437 | +3.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,657 | $125,776 | +3.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Rochester, NY | Scranton, PA | Scranton pay in Rochester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,840 | $76,590 | $79,438 (+26.4%) |
| Software Developers | $122,770 | $119,960 | $124,421 (+1.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,890 | $70,480 | $73,101 (−9.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,570 | $82,650 | $85,723 (−1.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.