City comparison
Rochester, NY vs Tuscaloosa, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Rochester, NY are 10.6% higher than in Tuscaloosa, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tuscaloosa, AL would need about $110,600 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 $972 in Tuscaloosa, AL. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Rochester, NY and 16% in Tuscaloosa, AL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,860 a year in NY and $4,735 in AL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.3% moving from Rochester, NY to Tuscaloosa, AL ($107,182 → $107,510), while prices change by −9.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.0% in real buying power.
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
- Tuscaloosa, AL: price level 87.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Rochester, NY | Tuscaloosa, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.0 | 87.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,402 in Tuscaloosa | $110,616 in Rochester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,256/mo | $972/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,210 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL |
Rent areas: Rochester, NY MSA and Tuscaloosa, AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Rochester, NY and Tuscaloosa, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Rochester | Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.5 | 58.2 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 133.2 | 84.4 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 97.0 | 87.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Rochester, NY → Tuscaloosa, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.6%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$125/yr.
100 Strong offer
Tuscaloosa, AL → Rochester, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$125/yr.
39 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Rochester, NY is in the Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY pay area; Tuscaloosa, AL is in Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Rochester, NY to Tuscaloosa, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Rochester, NY | Tuscaloosa, AL | Real change, Rochester → Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,155 | $62,344 | +11.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,202 | $75,431 | +11.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,135 | $90,410 | +11.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,182 | $107,510 | +11.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,657 | $127,044 | +11.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Rochester, NY | Tuscaloosa, AL | Tuscaloosa pay in Rochester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,840 | $60,220 | $66,613 (+6.0%) |
| Software Developers | $122,770 | $104,870 | $116,004 (−5.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,890 | $71,690 | $79,301 (−2.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,570 | $75,250 | $83,239 (−3.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.