City comparison
Rochester, NY vs York, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Rochester, NY are 1.1% higher than in York, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in York, PA would need about $101,100 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 $1,060 in York, PA. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Rochester, NY and 17% in York, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,790 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in York, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.6% moving from Rochester, NY to York, PA ($107,182 → $121,785), while prices change by −1.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +14.8% in real buying power.
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
- York, PA: price level 96.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Rochester, NY | York, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.0 | 96.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,933 in York | $101,078 in Rochester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,256/mo | $1,060/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% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,210 | $48,170 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Rochester, NY MSA and York-Hanover, PA MSA. Metro areas: Rochester, NY and York-Hanover, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Rochester | York |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.5 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 133.2 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 97.0 | 96.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Rochester, NY → York, PA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,790/yr.
72 Strong offer
York, PA → Rochester, NY
Roughly even
Buying power −1.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,790/yr.
65 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Rochester, NY is in the Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY pay area; York, PA is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Rochester, NY to York, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Rochester, NY | York, PA | Real change, Rochester → York |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,155 | $70,623 | +14.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,202 | $85,447 | +14.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,135 | $102,415 | +14.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,182 | $121,785 | +14.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,657 | $143,913 | +14.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Rochester, NY | York, PA | York pay in Rochester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,840 | $79,730 | $80,590 (+28.2%) |
| Software Developers | $122,770 | $114,600 | $115,836 (−5.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,890 | $75,160 | $75,970 (−6.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,570 | $96,210 | $97,247 (+12.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.