City comparison
Rochester, NY vs Santa Maria, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Santa Maria, CA are 12.1% higher than in Rochester, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Rochester, NY would need about $112,100 in Santa Maria, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,746 a month in Santa Maria, CA versus $1,256 in Rochester, NY. On $100,000, that's 44% of take-home pay in Santa Maria, CA and 20% in Rochester, NY.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,860 a year in NY and $5,070 in CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +15.8% moving from Rochester, NY to Santa Maria, CA ($107,182 → $124,085), while prices change by +12.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.3% in real buying power.
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
- Santa Maria, CA: price level 108.8 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Rochester, NY | Santa Maria, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.0 | 108.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,122 in Santa Maria | $89,188 in Rochester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,256/mo | $2,746/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 44% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,210 | $51,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Rochester, NY MSA and Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA MSA. Metro areas: Rochester, NY and Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Rochester | Santa Maria |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.5 | 151.4 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 133.2 | 149.8 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 97.0 | 108.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Rochester, NY → Santa Maria, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.8%; rent takes 44% of take-home; state tax +$211/yr.
8 Weak offer
Santa Maria, CA → Rochester, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$211/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Rochester, NY is in the Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY pay area; Santa Maria, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Rochester, NY to Santa Maria, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Rochester, NY | Santa Maria, CA | Real change, Rochester → Santa Maria |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,155 | $71,957 | +3.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,202 | $87,061 | +3.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,135 | $104,349 | +3.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,182 | $124,085 | +3.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,657 | $146,632 | +3.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Rochester, NY | Santa Maria, CA | Santa Maria pay in Rochester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,840 | $101,030 | $90,107 (+43.4%) |
| Software Developers | $122,770 | $158,290 | $141,176 (+15.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,890 | $91,610 | $81,705 (+1.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,570 | $137,360 | $122,509 (+41.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.