City comparison
Rochester, NY vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Rochester, NY are 1.0% higher than in Springfield, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MA would need about $101,000 in Rochester, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,382 a month in Springfield, MA versus $1,256 in Rochester, NY. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Springfield, MA and 20% in Rochester, NY.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,860 a year in NY and $4,780 in MA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.0% moving from Rochester, NY to Springfield, MA ($107,182 → $120,094), while prices change by −1.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +13.2% in real buying power.
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
- Springfield, MA: price level 96.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Rochester, NY | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.0 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,996 in Springfield | $101,014 in Rochester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,256/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,210 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Rochester, NY MSA and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Rochester, NY and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Rochester | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.5 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 133.2 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 97.0 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Rochester, NY → Springfield, MA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$80/yr.
72 Strong offer
Springfield, MA → Rochester, NY
Roughly even
Buying power −1.0%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$80/yr.
66 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Rochester, NY is in the Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Rochester, NY to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Rochester, NY | Springfield, MA | Real change, Rochester → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,155 | $69,642 | +13.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,202 | $84,260 | +13.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,135 | $100,992 | +13.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,182 | $120,094 | +13.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,657 | $141,915 | +13.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Rochester, NY | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Rochester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,840 | $79,640 | $80,448 (+28.0%) |
| Software Developers | $122,770 | $127,740 | $129,035 (+5.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,890 | $92,010 | $92,943 (+14.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,570 | $98,410 | $99,408 (+14.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.