City comparison
Chicago, IL vs Fresno, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Chicago, IL are 1.4% higher than in Fresno, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in Fresno, CA would need about $101,400 in Chicago, IL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,581 a month in Chicago, IL versus $1,355 in Fresno, CA. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Chicago, IL and 22% in Fresno, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $265 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Chicago, IL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.1% moving from Chicago, IL to Fresno, CA ($118,984 → $106,973), while prices change by −1.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.8% in real buying power.
- Chicago, IL: price level 103.6 (pricier)
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chicago, IL | Fresno, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 102.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,613 in Fresno | $101,407 in Chicago |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,581/mo | $1,355/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,720 | $46,910 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA |
Rent areas: Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area and Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN and Fresno, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chicago | Fresno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 112.0 | 95.7 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 83.6 | 161.0 |
| Other services | 100.5 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 102.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chicago, IL → Fresno, CA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.4%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$265/yr.
73 Strong offer
Fresno, CA → Chicago, IL
Roughly even
Buying power −1.4%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$265/yr.
64 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Chicago, IL is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI pay area; Fresno, CA is in Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Chicago, IL to Fresno, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chicago, IL | Fresno, CA | Real change, Chicago → Fresno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $62,033 | −8.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $75,055 | −8.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $89,959 | −8.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $106,973 | −8.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $126,410 | −8.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chicago, IL | Fresno, CA | Fresno pay in Chicago dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $125,310 | $118,420 | $120,086 (−4.2%) |
| Software Developers | $134,380 | $129,060 | $130,875 (−2.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,360 | $78,690 | $79,797 (−3.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $125,420 | $127,184 (+26.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.