City comparison
Fort Wayne, IN vs Rochester, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Rochester, NY are 4.8% higher than in Fort Wayne, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Wayne, IN would need about $104,800 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 $916 in Fort Wayne, IN. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Rochester, NY and 14% in Fort Wayne, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,939 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in Fort Wayne, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.7% moving from Fort Wayne, IN to Rochester, NY ($106,437 → $107,182), while prices change by +4.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.9% in real buying power.
- Fort Wayne, IN: price level 92.6 (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
| Fort Wayne, IN | Rochester, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,821 in Rochester | $95,401 in Fort Wayne |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $916/mo | $1,256/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,700 | $51,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY |
Rent areas: Fort Wayne, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Rochester, NY MSA. Metro areas: Fort Wayne, IN and Rochester, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Wayne | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.3 | 87.5 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 86.2 | 133.2 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Wayne, IN → Rochester, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,939/yr.
54 Fair offer
Rochester, NY → Fort Wayne, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.8%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$1,939/yr.
84 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Wayne, IN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Rochester, NY is in Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Fort Wayne, IN to Rochester, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Wayne, IN | Rochester, NY | Real change, Fort Wayne → Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,155 | −3.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,202 | −3.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,135 | −3.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,182 | −3.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,657 | −3.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Wayne, IN | Rochester, NY | Rochester pay in Fort Wayne dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,800 | $62,840 | $59,950 (+0.3%) |
| Software Developers | $101,560 | $122,770 | $117,123 (+15.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $80,890 | $77,170 (+2.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,630 | $86,570 | $82,588 (+3.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.