City comparison
Peoria, IL vs Rochester, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Rochester, NY are 6.4% higher than in Peoria, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Peoria, IL would need about $106,400 in Rochester, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,256 a month in Rochester, NY versus $818 in Peoria, IL. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Rochester, NY and 13% in Peoria, IL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,805 a year in IL and $4,860 in NY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.7% moving from Peoria, IL to Rochester, NY ($106,437 → $107,182), while prices change by +6.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.3% in real buying power.
- Peoria, IL: price level 91.2 (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
| Peoria, IL | Rochester, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.2 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,362 in Rochester | $94,019 in Peoria |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $818/mo | $1,256/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,590 | $51,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY |
Rent areas: Peoria, IL MSA and Rochester, NY MSA. Metro areas: Peoria, IL and Rochester, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Peoria | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 63.8 | 87.5 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 90.5 | 133.2 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 91.2 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Peoria, IL → Rochester, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.0%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$55/yr.
50 Fair offer
Rochester, NY → Peoria, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.4%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$55/yr.
89 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Peoria, IL 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 Peoria, IL to Rochester, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Peoria, IL | Rochester, NY | Real change, Peoria → Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,155 | −5.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,202 | −5.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,135 | −5.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,182 | −5.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,657 | −5.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Peoria, IL | Rochester, NY | Rochester pay in Peoria dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,440 | $62,840 | $59,081 (+2.9%) |
| Software Developers | $130,590 | $122,770 | $115,427 (−11.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,540 | $80,890 | $76,052 (−4.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,010 | $86,570 | $81,392 (+0.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.