City comparison
Rochester, NY vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Rochester, NY are 4.8% higher than in Waco, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Waco, TX would need about $104,800 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 $996 in Waco, TX. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Rochester, NY and 15% in Waco, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in Waco, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.7% moving from Rochester, NY to Waco, TX ($107,182 → $106,437), while prices change by −4.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.1% in real buying power.
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
- Waco, TX: price level 92.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Rochester, NY | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.0 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,378 in Waco | $104,846 in Rochester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,256/mo | $996/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,210 | $46,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Rochester, NY MSA and Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Rochester, NY and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Rochester | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.5 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 133.2 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 97.0 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Rochester, NY → Waco, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
84 Strong offer
Waco, TX → Rochester, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
54 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Rochester, NY is in the Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY pay area; Waco, TX is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Rochester, NY to Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Rochester, NY | Waco, TX | Real change, Rochester → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,155 | $61,722 | +4.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,202 | $74,678 | +4.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,135 | $89,508 | +4.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,182 | $106,437 | +4.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,657 | $125,776 | +4.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Rochester, NY | Waco, TX | Waco pay in Rochester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,840 | $59,100 | $61,964 (−1.4%) |
| Software Developers | $122,770 | $123,080 | $129,044 (+5.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,890 | $76,140 | $79,830 (−1.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,570 | $92,890 | $97,391 (+12.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.