City comparison
Kennewick, WA vs Rochester, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Kennewick, WA are 3.1% higher than in Rochester, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Rochester, NY would need about $103,100 in Kennewick, WA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,268 a month in Kennewick, WA and $1,256 in Rochester, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in Kennewick, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.7% moving from Kennewick, WA to Rochester, NY ($106,437 → $107,182), while prices change by −3.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.9% in real buying power.
- Kennewick, WA: price level 100.1 (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
| Kennewick, WA | Rochester, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,958 in Rochester | $103,137 in Kennewick |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,268/mo | $1,256/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $57,290 | $51,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY |
Rent areas: Kennewick-Richland, WA MSA and Rochester, NY MSA. Metro areas: Kennewick-Richland, WA and Rochester, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kennewick | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.8 | 87.5 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 93.6 | 133.2 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kennewick, WA → Rochester, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
79 Strong offer
Rochester, NY → Kennewick, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
59 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Kennewick, WA 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 Kennewick, WA to Rochester, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kennewick, WA | Rochester, NY | Real change, Kennewick → 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 | Kennewick, WA | Rochester, NY | Rochester pay in Kennewick dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $100,380 | $62,840 | $64,811 (−35.4%) |
| Software Developers | $127,800 | $122,770 | $126,621 (−0.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $93,280 | $80,890 | $83,428 (−10.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,410 | $86,570 | $89,286 (−16.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.