City comparison
Rochester, NY vs Tallahassee, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Rochester, NY are 3.3% higher than in Tallahassee, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tallahassee, FL would need about $103,300 in Rochester, NY to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,256 a month in Rochester, NY and $1,204 in Tallahassee, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in Tallahassee, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.7% moving from Rochester, NY to Tallahassee, FL ($107,182 → $106,437), while prices change by −3.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.6% in real buying power.
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
- Tallahassee, FL: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Rochester, NY | Tallahassee, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.0 | 93.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,789 in Tallahassee | $103,318 in Rochester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,256/mo | $1,204/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,210 | $46,520 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Rochester, NY MSA and Tallahassee, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Rochester, NY and Tallahassee, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Rochester | Tallahassee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.5 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 133.2 | 87.5 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 97.0 | 93.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Rochester, NY → Tallahassee, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
79 Strong offer
Tallahassee, FL → Rochester, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
59 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Rochester, NY is in the Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY pay area; Tallahassee, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Rochester, NY to Tallahassee, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Rochester, NY | Tallahassee, FL | Real change, Rochester → Tallahassee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,155 | $61,722 | +2.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,202 | $74,678 | +2.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,135 | $89,508 | +2.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,182 | $106,437 | +2.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,657 | $125,776 | +2.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Rochester, NY | Tallahassee, FL | Tallahassee pay in Rochester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,840 | $55,020 | $56,845 (−9.5%) |
| Software Developers | $122,770 | $121,800 | $125,841 (+2.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,890 | $61,840 | $63,892 (−21.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,570 | $79,430 | $82,065 (−5.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.