New Castle, IN vs Rochester, IN

New Castle is moderately more affordable than Rochester, with a 8.4% lower cost of living index. New Castle scores 65 compared to 71 for Rochester, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Rochester can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in New Castle is $797/month compared to $883/month in Rochester — a 10% difference. Home values follow the same pattern: New Castle is more affordable at $95,100 median vs $135,900.

Median household income in New Castle is $48,977 compared to $60,304 in Rochester (-18.8%). While Rochester is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of New Castle spend roughly 19.5% of their income on rent, more than the 17.6% in Rochester.