City comparison
Fresno, CA vs Lancaster, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fresno, CA are 4.0% higher than in Lancaster, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Lancaster, PA would need about $104,000 in Fresno, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,355 a month in Fresno, CA versus $1,220 in Lancaster, PA. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Fresno, CA and 19% in Lancaster, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,000 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Lancaster, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.5% moving from Fresno, CA to Lancaster, PA ($106,973 → $108,592), while prices change by −3.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.5% in real buying power.
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
- Lancaster, PA: price level 98.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fresno, CA | Lancaster, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.2 | 98.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,181 in Lancaster | $103,970 in Fresno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,355/mo | $1,220/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,910 | $48,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA |
Rent areas: Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Lancaster, PA MSA. Metro areas: Fresno, CA and Lancaster, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fresno | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.7 | 93.8 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 107.3 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 102.2 | 98.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fresno, CA → Lancaster, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$2,000/yr.
81 Strong offer
Lancaster, PA → Fresno, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.8%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$2,000/yr.
57 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fresno, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; Lancaster, PA is in Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Fresno, CA to Lancaster, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fresno, CA | Lancaster, PA | Real change, Fresno → Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $62,972 | +5.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $76,190 | +5.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $91,320 | +5.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $108,592 | +5.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $128,323 | +5.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fresno, CA | Lancaster, PA | Lancaster pay in Fresno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,800 | $78,360 | $81,471 (+3.4%) |
| Software Developers | $129,060 | $104,740 | $108,898 (−15.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,690 | $76,110 | $79,132 (+0.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | $89,620 | $93,178 (−25.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.