City comparison
Durham, NC vs Visalia, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Visalia, CA are 2.3% higher than in Durham, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Durham, NC would need about $102,300 in Visalia, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Durham, NC versus $1,123 in Visalia, CA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Durham, NC and 18% in Visalia, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,589 a year higher in Visalia, CA than in Durham, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.8% moving from Durham, NC to Visalia, CA ($111,147 → $106,973), while prices change by +2.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.9% in real buying power.
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (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
| Durham, NC | Visalia, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.6 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,309 in Visalia | $97,743 in Durham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $1,123/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% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,720 | $45,130 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA |
Rent areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Visalia, CA MSA. Metro areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC and Visalia, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Durham | Visalia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.9 | 84.1 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 156.4 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 97.6 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Durham, NC → Visalia, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,589/yr.
62 Fair offer
Visalia, CA → Durham, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,589/yr.
76 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Durham, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Visalia, CA is in Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Durham, NC to Visalia, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Durham, NC | Visalia, CA | Real change, Durham → Visalia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $62,033 | −5.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $75,055 | −5.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $89,959 | −5.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $106,973 | −5.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $126,410 | −5.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Durham, NC | Visalia, CA | Visalia pay in Durham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $51,400 | $98,430 | $96,208 (+87.2%) |
| Software Developers | $135,620 | $126,170 | $123,322 (−9.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $79,400 | $77,608 (−8.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | not published | $125,180 | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.