City comparison
Rochester, NY vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Rochester, NY are 11.0% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $111,000 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 $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Rochester, NY and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,892 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in Youngstown, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.7% moving from Rochester, NY to Youngstown, OH ($107,182 → $111,138), while prices change by −9.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +15.1% in real buying power.
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
- Youngstown, OH: price level 87.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Rochester, NY | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.0 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,064 in Youngstown | $111,032 in Rochester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,256/mo | $771/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,210 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Rochester, NY MSA and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Rochester, NY and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Rochester | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.5 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 133.2 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 97.0 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Rochester, NY → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.0%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$2,892/yr.
100 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Rochester, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.9%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$2,892/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Rochester, NY is in the Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Rochester, NY to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Rochester, NY | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Rochester → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,155 | $64,448 | +15.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,202 | $77,977 | +15.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,135 | $93,461 | +15.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,182 | $111,138 | +15.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,657 | $131,331 | +15.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Rochester, NY | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Rochester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,840 | $72,560 | $80,565 (+28.2%) |
| Software Developers | $122,770 | $107,990 | $119,903 (−2.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,890 | $73,080 | $81,142 (+0.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,570 | $78,680 | $87,360 (+0.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.