City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Visalia, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Visalia, CA are 4.6% higher than in Columbus, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, OH would need about $104,600 in Visalia, CA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH versus $1,123 in Visalia, CA. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbus, OH and 18% in Visalia, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,103 a year higher in Visalia, 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 Visalia, CA ($111,065 → $106,973), while prices change by +4.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.9% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Visalia, CA: price level 99.8 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, OH | Visalia, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,563 in Visalia | $95,636 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $1,123/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% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $45,130 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Visalia, CA MSA. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Visalia, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Visalia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 84.1 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 156.4 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Visalia, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,103/yr.
55 Fair offer
Visalia, CA → Columbus, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,103/yr.
83 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Visalia, CA is in Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Visalia, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Visalia, CA | Real change, Columbus → Visalia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $62,033 | −7.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $75,055 | −7.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $89,959 | −7.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $106,973 | −7.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $126,410 | −7.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Visalia, CA | Visalia pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $98,430 | $94,135 (+20.5%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $126,170 | $120,664 (−1.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $79,400 | $75,935 (−7.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $125,180 | $119,718 (+42.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.