City comparison
Albany, NY vs Rochester, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Albany, NY are 2.6% higher than in Rochester, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Rochester, NY would need about $102,600 in Albany, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,417 a month in Albany, NY versus $1,256 in Rochester, NY. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Albany, NY and 20% in Rochester, NY.
- Both are in NY, so estimated state income tax is the same: $4,860 a year on $100,000.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.4% moving from Albany, NY to Rochester, NY ($109,810 → $107,182), while prices change by −2.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.2% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albany, NY | Rochester, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,458 in Rochester | $102,608 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $1,256/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $51,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Rochester, NY MSA. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Rochester, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 87.5 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 133.2 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Rochester, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
77 Strong offer
Rochester, NY → Albany, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.5%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
61 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Rochester, NY is in Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Rochester, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Rochester, NY | Real change, Albany → Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $62,155 | +0.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $75,202 | +0.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $90,135 | +0.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $107,182 | +0.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $126,657 | +0.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Rochester, NY | Rochester pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,240 | $62,840 | $64,479 (−18.6%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $122,770 | $125,972 (−1.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $80,890 | $83,000 (−2.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $86,570 | $88,828 (−11.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.