City comparison
Omaha, NE vs Rochester, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Rochester, NY are 5.6% higher than in Omaha, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Omaha, NE would need about $105,600 in Rochester, NY to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,256 a month in Rochester, NY versus $1,148 in Omaha, NE. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Rochester, NY and 18% in Omaha, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,189 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in Omaha, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.3% moving from Omaha, NE to Rochester, NY ($107,501 → $107,182), while prices change by +5.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.6% in real buying power.
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Omaha, NE | Rochester, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.9 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,575 in Rochester | $94,719 in Omaha |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,148/mo | $1,256/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $51,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY |
Rent areas: Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area and Rochester, NY MSA. Metro areas: Omaha, NE-IA and Rochester, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Omaha | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.4 | 87.5 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 76.4 | 133.2 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 91.9 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Omaha, NE → Rochester, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,189/yr.
52 Fair offer
Rochester, NY → Omaha, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,189/yr.
86 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Omaha, NE is in the Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA pay area; Rochester, NY is in Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Omaha, NE to Rochester, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Omaha, NE | Rochester, NY | Real change, Omaha → Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,339 | $62,155 | −5.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,425 | $75,202 | −5.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,402 | $90,135 | −5.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,501 | $107,182 | −5.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,033 | $126,657 | −5.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Omaha, NE | Rochester, NY | Rochester pay in Omaha dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,670 | $62,840 | $59,522 (−5.0%) |
| Software Developers | $125,220 | $122,770 | $116,287 (−7.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,030 | $80,890 | $76,619 (−0.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,600 | $86,570 | $81,999 (−3.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.