City comparison
Rochester, NY vs Toledo, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Rochester, NY are 6.1% higher than in Toledo, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Toledo, OH would need about $106,100 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 $820 in Toledo, OH. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Rochester, NY and 13% in Toledo, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,892 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in Toledo, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.7% moving from Rochester, NY to Toledo, OH ($107,182 → $106,437), while prices change by −5.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.4% in real buying power.
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
- Toledo, OH: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Rochester, NY | Toledo, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.0 | 91.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,249 in Toledo | $106,101 in Rochester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,256/mo | $820/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,210 | $48,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Rochester, NY MSA and Toledo, OH MSA. Metro areas: Rochester, NY and Toledo, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Rochester | Toledo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.5 | 67.3 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 133.2 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 97.0 | 91.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Rochester, NY → Toledo, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.1%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$2,892/yr.
88 Strong offer
Toledo, OH → Rochester, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.8%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$2,892/yr.
51 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Rochester, NY is in the Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY pay area; Toledo, OH is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Rochester, NY to Toledo, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Rochester, NY | Toledo, OH | Real change, Rochester → Toledo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,155 | $61,722 | +5.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,202 | $74,678 | +5.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,135 | $89,508 | +5.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,182 | $106,437 | +5.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,657 | $125,776 | +5.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Rochester, NY | Toledo, OH | Toledo pay in Rochester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,840 | $63,250 | $67,109 (+6.8%) |
| Software Developers | $122,770 | $104,360 | $110,727 (−9.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,890 | $77,400 | $82,122 (+1.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,570 | $81,050 | $85,995 (−0.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.