City comparison
Rochester, NY vs Sioux Falls, SD
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Rochester, NY are 7.1% higher than in Sioux Falls, SD. Someone earning $100,000 in Sioux Falls, SD would need about $107,100 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 $986 in Sioux Falls, SD. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Rochester, NY and 15% in Sioux Falls, SD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in Sioux Falls, SD.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.7% moving from Rochester, NY to Sioux Falls, SD ($107,182 → $106,437), while prices change by −6.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.3% in real buying power.
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
- Sioux Falls, SD: price level 90.6 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Rochester, NY | Sioux Falls, SD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.0 | 90.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,400 in Sioux Falls | $107,066 in Rochester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,256/mo | $986/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $0 (SD) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,210 | $47,970 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Rochester, NY MSA and Sioux Falls, SD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Rochester, NY and Sioux Falls, SD-MN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Rochester | Sioux Falls |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.5 | 77.6 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 95.5 |
| Utilities | 133.2 | 80.7 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 91.9 |
| Overall | 97.0 | 90.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Rochester, NY → Sioux Falls, SD
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
91 Strong offer
Sioux Falls, SD → Rochester, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
48 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Rochester, NY is in the Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY pay area; Sioux Falls, SD is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Rochester, NY to Sioux Falls, SD at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Rochester, NY | Sioux Falls, SD | Real change, Rochester → Sioux Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,155 | $61,722 | +6.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,202 | $74,678 | +6.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,135 | $89,508 | +6.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,182 | $106,437 | +6.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,657 | $125,776 | +6.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Rochester, NY | Sioux Falls, SD | Sioux Falls pay in Rochester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,840 | $50,040 | $53,576 (−14.7%) |
| Software Developers | $122,770 | $101,040 | $108,180 (−11.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,890 | $80,920 | $86,638 (+7.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,570 | $75,350 | $80,674 (−6.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.