City comparison
Minneapolis, MN vs Rochester, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 8.0% higher than in Rochester, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Rochester, NY would need about $108,000 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,405 a month in Minneapolis, MN versus $1,256 in Rochester, NY. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Minneapolis, MN and 20% in Rochester, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $417 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Rochester, NY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.6% moving from Minneapolis, MN to Rochester, NY ($116,038 → $107,182), while prices change by −7.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.2% in real buying power.
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (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
| Minneapolis, MN | Rochester, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.8 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,571 in Rochester | $108,025 in Minneapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,405/mo | $1,256/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,903 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,277 (MN) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,320 | $51,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY |
Rent areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Rochester, NY MSA. Metro areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI and Rochester, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Minneapolis | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.8 | 87.5 |
| Goods | 103.1 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 93.5 | 133.2 |
| Other services | 104.4 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 104.8 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Minneapolis, MN → Rochester, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.0%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$417/yr.
94 Strong offer
Rochester, NY → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.4%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$417/yr.
46 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Minneapolis, MN is in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI pay area; Rochester, NY is in Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Minneapolis, MN to Rochester, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Minneapolis, MN | Rochester, NY | Real change, Minneapolis → Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $67,290 | $62,155 | −0.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $81,415 | $75,202 | −0.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $97,582 | $90,135 | −0.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $116,038 | $107,182 | −0.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $137,123 | $126,657 | −0.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Minneapolis, MN | Rochester, NY | Rochester pay in Minneapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,730 | $62,840 | $67,883 (−14.9%) |
| Software Developers | $130,920 | $122,770 | $132,622 (+1.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $86,500 | $80,890 | $87,381 (+1.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,040 | $86,570 | $93,517 (−9.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.