City comparison
Rochester, NY vs Tampa, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tampa, FL are 4.0% higher than in Rochester, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Rochester, NY would need about $104,000 in Tampa, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,696 a month in Tampa, FL versus $1,256 in Rochester, NY. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Tampa, FL and 20% in Rochester, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in Tampa, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.7% moving from Rochester, NY to Tampa, FL ($107,182 → $106,437), while prices change by +4.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.5% in real buying power.
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
- Tampa, FL: price level 100.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Rochester, NY | Tampa, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.0 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,973 in Tampa | $96,179 in Rochester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,256/mo | $1,696/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% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,210 | $48,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Rochester, NY MSA and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA. Metro areas: Rochester, NY and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Rochester | Tampa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.5 | 125.8 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 95.5 |
| Utilities | 133.2 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 97.6 |
| Overall | 97.0 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Rochester, NY → Tampa, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.8%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
56 Fair offer
Tampa, FL → Rochester, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.0%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
81 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Rochester, NY is in the Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY pay area; Tampa, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Rochester, NY to Tampa, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Rochester, NY | Tampa, FL | Real change, Rochester → Tampa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,155 | $61,722 | −4.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,202 | $74,678 | −4.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,135 | $89,508 | −4.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,182 | $106,437 | −4.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,657 | $125,776 | −4.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Rochester, NY | Tampa, FL | Tampa pay in Rochester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,840 | $60,120 | $57,823 (−8.0%) |
| Software Developers | $122,770 | $130,450 | $125,466 (+2.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,890 | $78,990 | $75,972 (−6.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,570 | $85,470 | $82,204 (−5.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.