City comparison
Durham, NC vs Modesto, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Modesto, CA are 6.7% higher than in Durham, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Durham, NC would need about $106,700 in Modesto, CA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Durham, NC versus $1,356 in Modesto, CA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Durham, NC and 22% in Modesto, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,589 a year higher in Modesto, CA than in Durham, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +19.7% moving from Durham, NC to Modesto, CA ($111,147 → $133,060), while prices change by +6.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +12.2% in real buying power.
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (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
| Durham, NC | Modesto, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.6 | 104.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,699 in Modesto | $93,722 in Durham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $1,356/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,720 | $50,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Modesto, CA MSA. Metro areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC and Modesto, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Durham | Modesto |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.9 | 108.5 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 152.3 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 97.6 | 104.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Durham, NC → Modesto, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,589/yr.
49 Fair offer
Modesto, CA → Durham, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,589/yr.
90 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Durham, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Modesto, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Durham, NC to Modesto, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Durham, NC | Modesto, CA | Real change, Durham → Modesto |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $77,161 | +12.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $93,358 | +12.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $111,896 | +12.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $133,060 | +12.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $157,236 | +12.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Durham, NC | Modesto, CA | Modesto pay in Durham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $51,400 | $101,640 | $95,259 (+85.3%) |
| Software Developers | $135,620 | $119,770 | $112,251 (−17.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $83,560 | $78,314 (−8.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | not published | $132,590 | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.