City comparison
Rochester, NY vs Spartanburg, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Rochester, NY are 6.6% higher than in Spartanburg, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Spartanburg, SC would need about $106,600 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 $1,083 in Spartanburg, SC. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Rochester, NY and 17% in Spartanburg, SC.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,860 a year in NY and $4,843 in SC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.7% moving from Rochester, NY to Spartanburg, SC ($107,182 → $106,437), while prices change by −6.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.8% in real buying power.
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
- Spartanburg, SC: price level 91.1 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Rochester, NY | Spartanburg, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.0 | 91.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,833 in Spartanburg | $106,572 in Rochester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,256/mo | $1,083/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,210 | $47,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Rochester, NY MSA and Spartanburg, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Rochester, NY and Spartanburg, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Rochester | Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.5 | 68.0 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 133.2 | 88.3 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 97.0 | 91.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Rochester, NY → Spartanburg, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$17/yr.
89 Strong offer
Spartanburg, SC → Rochester, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$17/yr.
49 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Rochester, NY is in the Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY pay area; Spartanburg, SC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Rochester, NY to Spartanburg, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Rochester, NY | Spartanburg, SC | Real change, Rochester → Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,155 | $61,722 | +5.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,202 | $74,678 | +5.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,135 | $89,508 | +5.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,182 | $106,437 | +5.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,657 | $125,776 | +5.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Rochester, NY | Spartanburg, SC | Spartanburg pay in Rochester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,840 | $60,990 | $64,998 (+3.4%) |
| Software Developers | $122,770 | $114,460 | $121,982 (−0.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,890 | $77,080 | $82,146 (+1.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,570 | $82,360 | $87,773 (+1.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.