City comparison
Bakersfield, CA vs York, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Bakersfield, CA are 5.1% higher than in York, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in York, PA would need about $105,100 in Bakersfield, CA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,140 a month in Bakersfield, CA versus $1,060 in York, PA. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Bakersfield, CA and 17% in York, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,000 a year higher in Bakersfield, CA than in York, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.9% moving from Bakersfield, CA to York, PA ($124,085 → $121,785), while prices change by −4.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.1% in real buying power.
- Bakersfield, CA: price level 100.9 (about average)
- York, PA: price level 96.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Bakersfield, CA | York, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 96.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,157 in York | $105,090 in Bakersfield |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,140/mo | $1,060/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,470 | $48,170 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Bakersfield-Delano, CA MSA and York-Hanover, PA MSA. Metro areas: Bakersfield-Delano, CA and York-Hanover, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bakersfield | York |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 90.3 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 158.3 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 96.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bakersfield, CA → York, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,000/yr.
85 Strong offer
York, PA → Bakersfield, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$2,000/yr.
54 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Bakersfield, CA is in the Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA pay area; York, PA is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Bakersfield, CA to York, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bakersfield, CA | York, PA | Real change, Bakersfield → York |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,957 | $70,623 | +3.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $87,061 | $85,447 | +3.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $104,349 | $102,415 | +3.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $124,085 | $121,785 | +3.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $146,632 | $143,913 | +3.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bakersfield, CA | York, PA | York pay in Bakersfield dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $108,020 | $91,790 | $96,462 (−10.7%) |
| Software Developers | $130,330 | $114,600 | $120,433 (−7.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,620 | $75,160 | $78,985 (−0.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $128,810 | $96,210 | $101,107 (−21.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.