City comparison
Rochester, NY vs Stockton, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Stockton, CA are 8.3% higher than in Rochester, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Rochester, NY would need about $108,300 in Stockton, CA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,395 a month in Stockton, CA versus $1,256 in Rochester, NY. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Stockton, CA and 20% in Rochester, NY.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,860 a year in NY and $5,070 in CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +24.1% moving from Rochester, NY to Stockton, CA ($107,182 → $133,060), while prices change by +8.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +14.6% in real buying power.
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
- Stockton, CA: price level 105.1 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Rochester, NY | Stockton, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.0 | 105.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,300 in Stockton | $92,336 in Rochester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,256/mo | $1,395/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,210 | $48,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Rochester, NY MSA and Stockton-Lodi, CA MSA. Metro areas: Rochester, NY and Stockton-Lodi, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Rochester | Stockton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.5 | 115.6 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 133.2 | 158.2 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 97.0 | 105.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Rochester, NY → Stockton, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$211/yr.
45 Weak offer
Stockton, CA → Rochester, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$211/yr.
95 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Rochester, NY is in the Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY pay area; Stockton, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Rochester, NY to Stockton, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Rochester, NY | Stockton, CA | Real change, Rochester → Stockton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,155 | $77,161 | +14.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,202 | $93,358 | +14.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,135 | $111,896 | +14.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,182 | $133,060 | +14.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,657 | $157,236 | +14.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Rochester, NY | Stockton, CA | Stockton pay in Rochester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,840 | $97,400 | $89,935 (+43.1%) |
| Software Developers | $122,770 | $138,550 | $127,932 (+4.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,890 | $83,570 | $77,165 (−4.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,570 | $134,580 | $124,266 (+43.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.