City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Merced, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 7.0% higher than in Merced, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in Merced, CA would need about $107,000 in Boulder, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $1,213 in Merced, CA. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 20% in Merced, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,379 a year higher in Merced, CA than in Boulder, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.1% moving from Boulder, CO to Merced, CA ($118,675 → $133,060), while prices change by −6.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +20.0% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- Merced, CA: price level 98.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boulder, CO | Merced, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 98.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,416 in Merced | $107,049 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,213/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $47,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Merced, CA MSA. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Merced, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Merced |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 78.6 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 158.3 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 98.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Merced, CA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.0%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,379/yr.
91 Strong offer
Merced, CA → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.6%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax −$1,379/yr.
43 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Merced, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Merced, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Merced, CA | Real change, Boulder → Merced |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $77,161 | +20.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $93,358 | +20.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $111,896 | +20.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $133,060 | +20.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $157,236 | +20.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Merced, CA | Merced pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $100,120 | $107,177 (+32.9%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $132,120 | $141,433 (−14.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $80,420 | $86,088 (−13.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $131,620 | $140,897 (+36.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.