City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Modesto, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Modesto, CA are 9.2% higher than in Cincinnati, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cincinnati, OH would need about $109,200 in Modesto, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,356 a month in Modesto, CA versus $1,051 in Cincinnati, OH. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Modesto, CA and 16% in Cincinnati, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,103 a year higher in Modesto, CA than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +20.0% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Modesto, CA ($110,865 → $133,060), while prices change by +9.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.9% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (cheaper)
- Modesto, CA: price level 104.1 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cincinnati, OH | Modesto, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 104.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,162 in Modesto | $91,607 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $1,356/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $50,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Modesto, CA MSA. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Modesto, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Modesto |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 108.5 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 152.3 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 104.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Modesto, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.4%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$3,103/yr.
43 Weak offer
Modesto, CA → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$3,103/yr.
97 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Modesto, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Modesto, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Modesto, CA | Real change, Cincinnati → Modesto |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $77,161 | +9.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $93,358 | +9.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $111,896 | +9.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $133,060 | +9.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $157,236 | +9.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Modesto, CA | Modesto pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $101,640 | $93,109 (+43.8%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $119,770 | $109,717 (−9.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $83,560 | $76,547 (−5.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $132,590 | $121,461 (+45.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.