City comparison
Reno, NV vs Rochester, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Reno, NV are 4.1% higher than in Rochester, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Rochester, NY would need about $104,100 in Reno, NV to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,489 a month in Reno, NV versus $1,256 in Rochester, NY. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Reno, NV and 20% in Rochester, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in Reno, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.3% moving from Reno, NV to Rochester, NY ($106,855 → $107,182), while prices change by −3.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.4% in real buying power.
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (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
| Reno, NV | Rochester, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,061 in Rochester | $104,101 in Reno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,489/mo | $1,256/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NV) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $51,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Reno-Fernley, NV | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY |
Rent areas: Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area and Rochester, NY MSA. Metro areas: Reno, NV and Rochester, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Reno | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 123.5 | 87.5 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 133.2 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Reno, NV → Rochester, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
82 Strong offer
Rochester, NY → Reno, NV
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
56 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Reno, NV is in the Reno-Fernley, NV pay area; Rochester, NY is in Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Reno, NV to Rochester, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Reno, NV | Rochester, NY | Real change, Reno → Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,965 | $62,155 | +4.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,972 | $75,202 | +4.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,859 | $90,135 | +4.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,855 | $107,182 | +4.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,271 | $126,657 | +4.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Reno, NV | Rochester, NY | Rochester pay in Reno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,430 | $62,840 | $65,417 (+4.8%) |
| Software Developers | $125,710 | $122,770 | $127,804 (+1.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,370 | $80,890 | $84,207 (+2.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,520 | $86,570 | $90,120 (−16.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.