City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Rochester, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Rochester, NY are 1.6% higher than in Columbus, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, OH would need about $101,600 in Rochester, NY to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,256 a month in Rochester, NY versus $1,194 in Columbus, OH. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Rochester, NY and 19% in Columbus, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,892 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.5% moving from Columbus, OH to Rochester, NY ($111,065 → $107,182), while prices change by +1.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.1% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- 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
| Columbus, OH | Rochester, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,640 in Rochester | $98,386 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $1,256/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $51,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Rochester, NY MSA. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Rochester, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 87.5 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 133.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Rochester, NY
Roughly even
Buying power −1.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$2,892/yr.
64 Fair offer
Rochester, NY → Columbus, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +1.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$2,892/yr.
74 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Rochester, NY is in Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Rochester, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Rochester, NY | Real change, Columbus → Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $62,155 | −5.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $75,202 | −5.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $90,135 | −5.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $107,182 | −5.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $126,657 | −5.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Rochester, NY | Rochester pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $62,840 | $61,826 (−20.9%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $122,770 | $120,789 (−1.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $80,890 | $79,585 (−2.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $86,570 | $85,173 (+1.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.