Cost of Living in Rochester, NY
Rochester, NY — prices, rents and what jobs really pay here after taxes.
Salary comparison calculator
What would you need to earn in Rochester, NY to keep the same lifestyle — after taxes — as in another city?
How expensive is Rochester, NY?
With a price level of 97.0 (U.S. average = 100), Rochester, NY is close to the national average. In detail, housing costs are 13% below average; everyday goods cost about the same as the national average; utilities run 33% above average; other services such as healthcare and dining are 2% below average. The biggest difference from the national average is in utilities.
Prices in Rochester, NY vs. the U.S. average
| Category | Index (U.S. = 100) | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 97.0 | −3.0% |
| Housing | 87.5 | −12.5% |
| Goods | 99.7 | −0.3% |
| Utilities | 133.2 | +33.2% |
| Other services | 97.8 | −2.2% |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Rent in Rochester, NY
| Unit | Monthly rent | Income needed (30% rule) |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,116 | $44,640/yr |
| 1 bedroom | $1,256 | $50,240/yr |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,573 | $62,920/yr |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,895 | $75,800/yr |
| 4 bedrooms | $2,083 | $83,320/yr |
HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026, population-weighted across the metro's counties.
Salary needed to live in Rochester, NY
To keep the same standard of living as in an average-priced U.S. city, you would need to earn roughly:
| Salary in an average U.S. city | Equivalent in Rochester, NY | Take-home here |
|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $38,800 | $31,858 |
| $60,000 | $58,200 | $46,398 |
| $80,000 | $77,600 | $59,828 |
| $100,000 | $97,000 | $72,387 |
| $150,000 | $145,600 | $103,233 |
Scaled by the BEA price level (pre-tax). Take-home: single filer, New York 2026 taxes. For a tax-aware comparison with a specific city, use the calculator above.
A monthly budget on the median wage
A single worker earning Rochester, NY's median wage of $51,210 takes home about $3,430 a month. A typical one-bedroom rents for $1,256, which is 37% of take-home pay — above the 30% guideline that financial planners suggest. That leaves about $2,174 a month for everything else.
Take-home pay in Rochester, NY
- Federal income tax$3,965
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,175
- Medicare (1.45%)$743
- New York income tax$2,168
- Take-home pay$41,159
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 5.40% state
Highest-paying jobs in Rochester, NY
*In U.S.-average dollars after adjusting for local prices.
Pay and living costs in New York cities
Half of New York’s 9,688,000 workers earn less than $59,670 a year and half earn more; the middle 50% earn $41,160–$98,810 (BLS, May 2025). Prices vary a lot within the state: Albany, NY stretches a paycheck furthest, while Kiryas Joel, NY is the costliest.
| Metro area | Median pay | Price level | 1-BR rent | Rent share | Left after rent / mo | Buying power* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | $61,430 | 112.6 | $2,378 | 58% | $1,690 | $43,370 |
| Buffalo, NY | $50,790 | 95.8 | $1,139 | 33% | $2,265 | $42,615 |
| Rochester, NY | $51,210 | 97.0 | $1,256 | 37% | $2,174 | $42,417 |
| Albany, NY | $58,460 | 99.6 | $1,417 | 36% | $2,466 | $46,796 |
| Syracuse, NY | $52,990 | 95.7 | $1,123 | 32% | $2,418 | $44,383 |
| Kiryas Joel, NY | $50,990 | 109.4 | $1,549 | 45% | $1,867 | $37,464 |
| Utica, NY | $48,970 | 92.7 | $926 | 28% | $2,364 | $42,599 |
| Binghamton, NY | $49,460 | 92.9 | $868 | 26% | $2,453 | $42,910 |
| Kingston, NY | $50,020 | 100.7 | $1,386 | 41% | $1,970 | $39,984 |
| Glens Falls, NY | $49,090 | 94.9 | $1,066 | 32% | $2,231 | $41,711 |
| Ithaca, NY | $58,130 | 103.3 | $1,466 | 38% | $2,396 | $44,858 |
| Watertown, NY | $47,600 | 87.7 | $1,071 | 33% | $2,133 | $43,851 |
| Elmira, NY | $47,850 | 94.4 | $978 | 30% | $2,242 | $40,934 |
*Yearly take-home pay (on each metro’s median wage, single filer) in U.S.-average dollars. Price level: BEA RPP 2024 (U.S. = 100). Rent: HUD FY2026 one-bedroom fair market rent.
Rochester, NY vs. similar-size cities
| Metro area | Price level | 1-BR rent | Median wage | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester, NY | 97.0 | $1,256 | $51,210 | 494,280 |
| Omaha, NE | 91.9 | $1,144 | $49,660 | 498,100 |
| Fresno, CA | 102.2 | $1,315 | $46,910 | 476,890 |
| Birmingham, AL | 91.6 | $1,115 | $47,770 | 520,290 |
| Tulsa, OK | 89.2 | $976 | $46,670 | 458,730 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | 111.0 | $2,016 | $57,220 | 446,380 |
| New Orleans, LA | 92.6 | $1,105 | $47,290 | 445,550 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Rochester, NY expensive to live in?
According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, overall prices in the Rochester, NY metro area are 97.0% of the U.S. average, with housing at 87.5%. It is the #128 most expensive of 387 metro areas we track.
What salary do you need to live in Rochester, NY?
To match the buying power of a $60,000 salary in an average-priced U.S. city you would need about $58,221 in Rochester, NY (before tax differences). The median wage across all jobs here is $51,210.
Can you afford Rochester, NY on the median wage?
A single worker on the $51,210 median wage takes home about $3,430 a month after 2026 taxes; a one-bedroom at $1,256 would take 37% of that.
How much is rent in Rochester, NY?
HUD’s FY2026 fair market rents for Rochester, NY are $1,116 for a studio, $1,256 for one bedroom, $1,573 for two bedrooms and $1,895 for three bedrooms, including utilities.
Top salaries by field in Rochester, NY
Management Occupations
- General and Operations Manager — $103,690
Business and Financial Operations Occupations
- Project Management Specialist — $103,520
- Accountant and Auditor — $80,890
- Market Research Analyst and Marketing Specialist — $77,170
- Human Resources Specialist — $76,590
Computer and Mathematical Occupations
- Software Developer — $122,770
- Computer User Support Specialist — $60,620
Community and Social Service Occupations
- Social and Human Service Assistant — $44,800
Educational Instruction and Library Occupations
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education — $76,190
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education — $62,840
- Substitute Teachers, Short-Term — $42,280
- Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary — $36,240
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations
- Registered Nurse — $86,570
- Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurse — $62,060
Healthcare Support Occupations
- Nursing Assistant — $40,050
- Home Health and Personal Care Aide — $35,600
Protective Service Occupations
- Security Guard — $42,860
Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations
- Waiter and Waitress — $45,310
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $43,040
- Cooks, Restaurant — $38,380
- Food Preparation Worker — $35,020
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $33,430
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations
- Landscaping and Groundskeeping Worker — $39,680
- Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners — $37,160
Personal Care and Service Occupations
- Childcare Worker — $35,090
Sales and Related Occupations
- Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products — $75,450
- Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel — $67,400
- First-Line Supervisor of Retail Sales Workers — $51,320
- Retail Salesperson — $34,650
- Cashier — $33,850
Office and Administrative Support Occupations
- Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant — $72,210
- First-Line Supervisor of Office and Administrative Support Workers — $69,450
- Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks — $52,670
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks — $50,870
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive — $46,770
- Customer Service Representative — $44,740
- Medical Secretary and Administrative Assistant — $44,380
- Office Clerks, General — $42,230
Construction and Extraction Occupations
- Electrician — $77,310
- Carpenter — $59,490
- Construction Laborer — $49,290
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations
- Maintenance and Repair Workers, General — $49,990
Production Occupations
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers — $48,370
- Miscellaneous Assembler and Fabricator — $43,090
Transportation and Material Moving Occupations
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver — $58,920
- Bus Drivers, School — $51,780
- Light Truck Driver — $42,090
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand — $40,050
- Stocker and Order Filler — $37,940