City comparison
Rochester, NY vs Visalia, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Visalia, CA are 2.9% higher than in Rochester, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Rochester, NY would need about $102,900 in Visalia, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,256 a month in Rochester, NY versus $1,123 in Visalia, CA. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Rochester, NY and 18% in Visalia, CA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,860 a year in NY and $5,070 in CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.2% moving from Rochester, NY to Visalia, CA ($107,182 → $106,973), while prices change by +2.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.0% in real buying power.
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
- Visalia, CA: price level 99.8 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Rochester, NY | Visalia, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.0 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,875 in Visalia | $97,205 in Rochester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,256/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,210 | $45,130 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA |
Rent areas: Rochester, NY MSA and Visalia, CA MSA. Metro areas: Rochester, NY and Visalia, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Rochester | Visalia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.5 | 84.1 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 133.2 | 156.4 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 97.0 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Rochester, NY → Visalia, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$211/yr.
60 Fair offer
Visalia, CA → Rochester, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.9%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$211/yr.
78 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Rochester, NY is in the Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY pay area; Visalia, CA is in Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Rochester, NY to Visalia, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Rochester, NY | Visalia, CA | Real change, Rochester → Visalia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,155 | $62,033 | −3.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,202 | $75,055 | −3.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,135 | $89,959 | −3.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,182 | $106,973 | −3.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,657 | $126,410 | −3.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Rochester, NY | Visalia, CA | Visalia pay in Rochester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,840 | $98,430 | $95,679 (+52.3%) |
| Software Developers | $122,770 | $126,170 | $122,644 (−0.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,890 | $79,400 | $77,181 (−4.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,570 | $125,180 | $121,681 (+40.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.