City comparison
Fresno, CA vs Jacksonville, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fresno, CA are 2.7% higher than in Jacksonville, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Jacksonville, FL would need about $102,700 in Fresno, CA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,355 a month in Fresno, CA and $1,382 in Jacksonville, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Jacksonville, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.5% moving from Fresno, CA to Jacksonville, FL ($106,973 → $106,437), while prices change by −2.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.2% in real buying power.
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
- Jacksonville, FL: price level 99.5 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fresno, CA | Jacksonville, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.2 | 99.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,382 in Jacksonville | $102,688 in Fresno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,355/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 21% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,910 | $48,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Jacksonville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fresno, CA and Jacksonville, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fresno | Jacksonville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.7 | 109.8 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 87.5 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 102.2 | 99.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fresno, CA → Jacksonville, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.7%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
77 Strong offer
Jacksonville, FL → Fresno, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.6%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
61 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fresno, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; Jacksonville, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Fresno, CA to Jacksonville, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fresno, CA | Jacksonville, FL | Real change, Fresno → Jacksonville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $61,722 | +2.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $74,678 | +2.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $89,508 | +2.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $106,437 | +2.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $125,776 | +2.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fresno, CA | Jacksonville, FL | Jacksonville pay in Fresno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,800 | $61,080 | $62,722 (−20.4%) |
| Software Developers | $129,060 | $130,330 | $133,833 (+3.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,690 | $79,960 | $82,109 (+4.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | $83,520 | $85,765 (−31.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.