City comparison
Dallas, TX vs Fresno, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Dallas, TX (103.1) and Fresno, CA (102.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Dallas, TX goes as far as $99,100 in Fresno, CA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,648 a month in Dallas, TX versus $1,355 in Fresno, CA. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Dallas, TX and 22% in Fresno, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Dallas, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.6% moving from Dallas, TX to Fresno, CA ($115,711 → $106,973), while prices change by −0.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.7% in real buying power.
- Dallas, TX: price level 103.1 (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
| Dallas, TX | Fresno, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.1 | 102.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,096 in Fresno | $100,912 in Dallas |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,648/mo | $1,355/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,440 | $46,910 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA |
Rent areas: Dallas, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX and Fresno, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dallas | Fresno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 117.9 | 95.7 |
| Goods | 102.8 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 90.7 | 161.0 |
| Other services | 99.7 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 103.1 | 102.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dallas, TX → Fresno, CA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
72 Strong offer
Fresno, CA → Dallas, TX
Roughly even
Buying power −0.9%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
66 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dallas, TX is in the Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK pay area; Fresno, CA is in Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Dallas, TX to Fresno, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dallas, TX | Fresno, CA | Real change, Dallas → Fresno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $67,100 | $62,033 | −6.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $81,186 | $75,055 | −6.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $97,307 | $89,959 | −6.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $115,711 | $106,973 | −6.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $136,736 | $126,410 | −6.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dallas, TX | Fresno, CA | Fresno pay in Dallas dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,070 | $78,800 | $79,519 (+22.2%) |
| Software Developers | $133,290 | $129,060 | $130,237 (−2.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,620 | $78,690 | $79,408 (−3.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,420 | $125,420 | $126,564 (+24.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.