City comparison
Rochester, NY vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Rochester, NY (97.0) and Tucson, AZ (96.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Rochester, NY goes as far as $99,900 in Tucson, AZ.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,256 a month in Rochester, NY versus $1,081 in Tucson, AZ. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Rochester, NY and 17% in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,569 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in Tucson, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.2% moving from Rochester, NY to Tucson, AZ ($107,182 → $108,455), while prices change by −0.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.3% in real buying power.
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
- Tucson, AZ: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Rochester, NY | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.0 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,857 in Tucson | $100,143 in Rochester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,256/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,210 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Rochester, NY MSA and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Rochester, NY and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Rochester | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.5 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 133.2 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 97.0 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Rochester, NY → Tucson, AZ
Roughly even
Buying power +0.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,569/yr.
69 Fair offer
Tucson, AZ → Rochester, NY
Roughly even
Buying power −0.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$2,569/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Rochester, NY is in the Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Rochester, NY to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Rochester, NY | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Rochester → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,155 | $62,893 | +1.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,202 | $76,095 | +1.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,135 | $91,205 | +1.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,182 | $108,455 | +1.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,657 | $128,162 | +1.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Rochester, NY | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Rochester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,840 | $47,220 | $47,288 (−24.7%) |
| Software Developers | $122,770 | $123,710 | $123,887 (+0.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,890 | $76,320 | $76,429 (−5.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,570 | $94,110 | $94,245 (+8.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.