Moving from Washington to Rochester
You'd keep $108 more a month in Rochester
+$1,296 a year for the same registered nurse, the same household size, and the same number of bedrooms.
Washington leftover
$2,883
a month after tax and rent
Rochester leftover
$2,991
+$108 vs Washington
| Per month | Washington | Rochester | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $9,667 | $8,263 | −$1,403 |
| Income and payroll tax | $2,752 | $2,191 | −$561 |
| Take-home pay | $6,914 | $6,072 | −$842 |
| Rent | $1,929 | $1,344 | −$585 |
| Getting around | $463 | $461 | −$2 |
| Groceries | $452 | $352 | −$100 |
| Healthcare | $508 | $396 | −$112 |
| Utilities | $283 | $220 | −$63 |
| Everything else | $395 | $308 | −$87 |
| Left over | $2,883 | $2,991 | +$108 |
To break even in Rochester, you'd need to earn
$97,000
Household gross, versus $116,000 today. That's the salary that leaves you exactly as much at the end of the month as Washington does now.
The tax difference alone
+$1,739
A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 28.5% in Washington, 26.5% in Rochester.
More about Rochester
Washington, DC in full
Recession-resistant government and consulting pay, humid summers, real transit.
Rochester, MN in full
State income tax topping out at 9.85%, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $1,600 and 195 sunny days; commutes average 21 minutes.
The reverse move
Same two cities, but starting from Rochester on Rochester wages.
Rochester → Washington →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Rochester than Washington?
A one-bedroom is about $1,929 in Washington versus $1,344 in Rochester. On a one-adult, one-bedroom household, leftover is about $108 a month higher in Rochester. Change the job or household on the comparison to see your number.
Does Rochester have state income tax?
Rochester is in Minnesota, which taxes wage income.
What changes if you move from Washington to Rochester?
Take-home pay is recalculated under Minnesota tax, rent is priced at the same bedroom count, and leftover is the gap. The from-to page also lists IRS households that already made the move, when that data exists.
Rent is Zillow's asking rent for each metro; taxes and living costs are modelled. An estimate, not a quote or tax advice. How this is calculated.