City comparison
Ogden, UT vs Rochester, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Ogden, UT are 3.4% higher than in Rochester, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Rochester, NY would need about $103,400 in Ogden, UT to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,281 a month in Ogden, UT and $1,256 in Rochester, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,326 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in Ogden, UT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.7% moving from Ogden, UT to Rochester, NY ($106,437 → $107,182), while prices change by −3.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.1% in real buying power.
- Ogden, UT: price level 100.3 (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
| Ogden, UT | Rochester, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,698 in Rochester | $103,415 in Ogden |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,281/mo | $1,256/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,646 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,534 (UT) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,900 | $51,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY |
Rent areas: Ogden, UT MSA and Rochester, NY MSA. Metro areas: Ogden, UT and Rochester, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ogden | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 117.9 | 87.5 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 78.8 | 133.2 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ogden, UT → Rochester, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.4%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,326/yr.
79 Strong offer
Rochester, NY → Ogden, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,326/yr.
58 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ogden, UT 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 Ogden, UT to Rochester, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ogden, UT | Rochester, NY | Real change, Ogden → Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,155 | +4.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,202 | +4.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,135 | +4.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,182 | +4.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,657 | +4.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ogden, UT | Rochester, NY | Rochester pay in Ogden dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,910 | $62,840 | $64,986 (+1.7%) |
| Software Developers | $109,880 | $122,770 | $126,963 (+15.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,010 | $80,890 | $83,653 (+2.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,840 | $86,570 | $89,527 (+9.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.