City comparison
Fresno, CA vs Modesto, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Modesto, CA are 1.9% higher than in Fresno, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in Fresno, CA would need about $101,900 in Modesto, CA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,355 a month in Fresno, CA and $1,356 in Modesto, CA.
- Both are in CA, so estimated state income tax is the same: $5,070 a year on $100,000.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +24.4% moving from Fresno, CA to Modesto, CA ($106,973 → $133,060), while prices change by +1.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +22.1% in real buying power.
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
- 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
| Fresno, CA | Modesto, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.2 | 104.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,909 in Modesto | $98,127 in Fresno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,355/mo | $1,356/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,910 | $50,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Modesto, CA MSA. Metro areas: Fresno, CA and Modesto, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fresno | Modesto |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.7 | 108.5 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 152.3 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 102.2 | 104.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fresno, CA → Modesto, CA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
63 Fair offer
Modesto, CA → Fresno, CA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
75 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fresno, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; Modesto, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Fresno, CA to Modesto, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fresno, CA | Modesto, CA | Real change, Fresno → Modesto |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $77,161 | +22.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $93,358 | +22.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $111,896 | +22.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $133,060 | +22.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $157,236 | +22.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fresno, CA | Modesto, CA | Modesto pay in Fresno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,800 | $101,640 | $99,736 (+26.6%) |
| Software Developers | $129,060 | $119,770 | $117,527 (−8.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,690 | $83,560 | $81,995 (+4.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | $132,590 | $130,107 (+3.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.