City comparison
Rochester, NY vs Springfield, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Rochester, NY are 9.5% higher than in Springfield, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MO would need about $109,500 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 $883 in Springfield, MO. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Rochester, NY and 14% in Springfield, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,097 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in Springfield, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.7% moving from Rochester, NY to Springfield, MO ($107,182 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.8% in real buying power.
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
- Springfield, MO: price level 88.6 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Rochester, NY | Springfield, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.0 | 88.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,292 in Springfield | $109,539 in Rochester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,256/mo | $883/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,210 | $45,780 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Rochester, NY MSA and Springfield, MO HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Rochester, NY and Springfield, MO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Rochester | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.5 | 65.6 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 133.2 | 85.8 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 97.0 | 88.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Rochester, NY → Springfield, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.5%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$1,097/yr.
99 Strong offer
Springfield, MO → Rochester, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,097/yr.
42 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Rochester, NY is in the Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY pay area; Springfield, MO is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Rochester, NY to Springfield, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Rochester, NY | Springfield, MO | Real change, Rochester → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,155 | $61,722 | +8.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,202 | $74,678 | +8.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,135 | $89,508 | +8.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,182 | $106,437 | +8.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,657 | $125,776 | +8.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Rochester, NY | Springfield, MO | Springfield pay in Rochester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,840 | $49,380 | $54,090 (−13.9%) |
| Software Developers | $122,770 | $102,350 | $112,113 (−8.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,890 | $73,020 | $79,985 (−1.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,570 | $79,370 | $86,941 (+0.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.