City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Fresno, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fresno, CA are 7.0% higher than in Columbus, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, OH would need about $107,000 in Fresno, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,355 a month in Fresno, CA versus $1,194 in Columbus, OH. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Fresno, CA and 19% in Columbus, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,103 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.7% moving from Columbus, OH to Fresno, CA ($111,065 → $106,973), while prices change by +7.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −10.0% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- 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
| Columbus, OH | Fresno, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 102.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,006 in Fresno | $93,452 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $1,355/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 | 19% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $46,910 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Fresno, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Fresno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 95.7 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 161.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 102.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Fresno, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.5%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$3,103/yr.
48 Fair offer
Fresno, CA → Columbus, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,103/yr.
91 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Fresno, CA is in Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Fresno, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Fresno, CA | Real change, Columbus → Fresno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $62,033 | −10.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $75,055 | −10.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $89,959 | −10.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $106,973 | −10.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $126,410 | −10.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Fresno, CA | Fresno pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $78,800 | $73,640 (−5.8%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $129,060 | $120,610 (−1.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $78,690 | $73,538 (−10.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $125,420 | $117,208 (+39.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.