City comparison
Boston, MA vs Rochester, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boston, MA are 11.6% higher than in Rochester, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Rochester, NY would need about $111,600 in Boston, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,476 a month in Boston, MA versus $1,256 in Rochester, NY. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in Boston, MA and 20% in Rochester, NY.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,780 a year in MA and $4,860 in NY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.1% moving from Boston, MA to Rochester, NY ($120,548 → $107,182), while prices change by −10.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.8% in real buying power.
- Boston, MA: price level 108.3 (much pricier)
- 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
| Boston, MA | Rochester, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.3 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,626 in Rochester | $111,574 in Boston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,476/mo | $1,256/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (MA) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 40% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $66,620 | $51,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY |
Rent areas: Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Rochester, NY MSA. Metro areas: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH and Rochester, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boston | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.4 | 87.5 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 148.8 | 133.2 |
| Other services | 103.6 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 108.3 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boston, MA → Rochester, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$80/yr.
100 Strong offer
Rochester, NY → Boston, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.4%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax −$80/yr.
15 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boston, MA is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Rochester, NY is in Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Boston, MA to Rochester, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boston, MA | Rochester, NY | Real change, Boston → Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $62,155 | −0.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $75,202 | −0.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $90,135 | −0.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $107,182 | −0.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $126,657 | −0.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boston, MA | Rochester, NY | Rochester pay in Boston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,060 | $62,840 | $70,113 (−28.5%) |
| Software Developers | $166,090 | $122,770 | $136,980 (−17.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,150 | $80,890 | $90,252 (−9.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,180 | $86,570 | $96,590 (−9.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.