City comparison
Rochester, NY vs Tulsa, OK
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Rochester, NY are 8.8% higher than in Tulsa, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Tulsa, OK would need about $108,800 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 $987 in Tulsa, OK. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Rochester, NY and 16% in Tulsa, OK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $905 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in Tulsa, OK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.7% moving from Rochester, NY to Tulsa, OK ($107,182 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.0% in real buying power.
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
- Tulsa, OK: price level 89.2 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Rochester, NY | Tulsa, OK | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.0 | 89.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,940 in Tulsa | $108,767 in Rochester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,256/mo | $987/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $75,226 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $3,955 (OK) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,210 | $46,670 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Rochester, NY MSA and Tulsa, OK HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Rochester, NY and Tulsa, OK.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Rochester | Tulsa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.5 | 68.2 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 133.2 | 73.9 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 97.0 | 89.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Rochester, NY → Tulsa, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$905/yr.
96 Strong offer
Tulsa, OK → Rochester, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$905/yr.
44 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Rochester, NY is in the Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY pay area; Tulsa, OK is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Rochester, NY to Tulsa, OK at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Rochester, NY | Tulsa, OK | Real change, Rochester → Tulsa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,155 | $61,722 | +8.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,202 | $74,678 | +8.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,135 | $89,508 | +8.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,182 | $106,437 | +8.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,657 | $125,776 | +8.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Rochester, NY | Tulsa, OK | Tulsa pay in Rochester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,840 | $48,220 | $52,447 (−16.5%) |
| Software Developers | $122,770 | $108,730 | $118,262 (−3.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,890 | $81,320 | $88,449 (+9.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,570 | $84,790 | $92,223 (+6.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.