City comparison
Rochester, NY vs St. Louis, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Rochester, NY are 2.0% higher than in St. Louis, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in St. Louis, MO would need about $102,000 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 $995 in St. Louis, MO. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Rochester, NY and 16% in St. Louis, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,097 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in St. Louis, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.8% moving from Rochester, NY to St. Louis, MO ($107,182 → $109,137), while prices change by −2.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.9% in real buying power.
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
- St. Louis, MO: price level 95.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Rochester, NY | St. Louis, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.0 | 95.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,994 in St. Louis | $102,048 in Rochester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,256/mo | $995/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% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,210 | $49,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL |
Rent areas: Rochester, NY MSA and St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Rochester, NY and St. Louis, MO-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Rochester | St. Louis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.5 | 79.0 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 100.0 |
| Utilities | 133.2 | 69.9 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 97.0 | 95.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Rochester, NY → St. Louis, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,097/yr.
75 Strong offer
St. Louis, MO → Rochester, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.0%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,097/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Rochester, NY is in the Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY pay area; St. Louis, MO is in St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL. The last column shows what a transfer from Rochester, NY to St. Louis, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Rochester, NY | St. Louis, MO | Real change, Rochester → St. Louis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,155 | $63,288 | +3.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,202 | $76,573 | +3.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,135 | $91,779 | +3.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,182 | $109,137 | +3.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,657 | $128,967 | +3.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Rochester, NY | St. Louis, MO | St. Louis pay in Rochester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,840 | $60,650 | $61,892 (−1.5%) |
| Software Developers | $122,770 | $129,030 | $131,672 (+7.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,890 | $78,880 | $80,495 (−0.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,570 | $83,180 | $84,883 (−1.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.