City comparison
Modesto, CA vs Rochester, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Modesto, CA are 7.3% higher than in Rochester, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Rochester, NY would need about $107,300 in Modesto, CA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,356 a month in Modesto, CA versus $1,256 in Rochester, NY. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Modesto, CA and 20% in Rochester, NY.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $5,070 a year in CA and $4,860 in NY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −19.4% moving from Modesto, CA to Rochester, NY ($133,060 → $107,182), while prices change by −6.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −13.6% in real buying power.
- Modesto, CA: price level 104.1 (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
| Modesto, CA | Rochester, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.1 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,206 in Rochester | $107,289 in Modesto |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,356/mo | $1,256/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,610 | $51,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY |
Rent areas: Modesto, CA MSA and Rochester, NY MSA. Metro areas: Modesto, CA and Rochester, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Modesto | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 108.5 | 87.5 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 152.3 | 133.2 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 104.1 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Modesto, CA → Rochester, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$211/yr.
92 Strong offer
Rochester, NY → Modesto, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.8%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$211/yr.
48 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Modesto, CA is in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA pay area; Rochester, NY is in Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Modesto, CA to Rochester, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Modesto, CA | Rochester, NY | Real change, Modesto → Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $62,155 | −13.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $75,202 | −13.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $90,135 | −13.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $107,182 | −13.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $126,657 | −13.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Modesto, CA | Rochester, NY | Rochester pay in Modesto dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $101,640 | $62,840 | $67,420 (−33.7%) |
| Software Developers | $119,770 | $122,770 | $131,719 (+10.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,560 | $80,890 | $86,786 (+3.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $132,590 | $86,570 | $92,880 (−29.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.