City comparison
Greeley, CO vs Rochester, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Greeley, CO are 3.2% higher than in Rochester, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Rochester, NY would need about $103,200 in Greeley, CO to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,238 a month in Greeley, CO and $1,256 in Rochester, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,168 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in Greeley, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.7% moving from Greeley, CO to Rochester, NY ($118,675 → $107,182), while prices change by −3.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.8% in real buying power.
- Greeley, CO: price level 100.2 (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
| Greeley, CO | Rochester, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.2 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,865 in Rochester | $103,237 in Greeley |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,238/mo | $1,256/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,070 | $51,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY |
Rent areas: Greeley, CO MSA and Rochester, NY MSA. Metro areas: Greeley, CO and Rochester, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greeley | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 112.6 | 87.5 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 82.0 | 133.2 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 100.2 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greeley, CO → Rochester, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,168/yr.
79 Strong offer
Rochester, NY → Greeley, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,168/yr.
59 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Greeley, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Rochester, NY is in Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Greeley, CO to Rochester, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greeley, CO | Rochester, NY | Real change, Greeley → Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $62,155 | −6.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $75,202 | −6.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $90,135 | −6.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $107,182 | −6.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $126,657 | −6.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greeley, CO | Rochester, NY | Rochester pay in Greeley dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,160 | $62,840 | $64,874 (+7.8%) |
| Software Developers | $129,480 | $122,770 | $126,744 (−2.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $87,240 | $80,890 | $83,508 (−4.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,300 | $86,570 | $89,372 (−7.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.