City comparison
Fresno, CA vs New York, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in New York, NY are 10.2% higher than in Fresno, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in Fresno, CA would need about $110,200 in New York, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,655 a month in New York, NY versus $1,355 in Fresno, CA. On $100,000, that's 43% of take-home pay in New York, NY and 22% in Fresno, CA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $5,070 a year in CA and $4,860 in NY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.3% moving from Fresno, CA to New York, NY ($106,973 → $125,431), while prices change by +10.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.4% in real buying power.
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
- New York, NY: price level 112.6 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fresno, CA | New York, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.2 | 112.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,185 in New York | $90,756 in Fresno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,355/mo | $2,655/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 43% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,910 | $61,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and New York, NY HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fresno, CA and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fresno | New York |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.7 | 148.6 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 110.3 |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 127.0 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 105.8 |
| Overall | 102.2 | 112.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fresno, CA → New York, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.2%; rent takes 43% of take-home; state tax −$211/yr.
13 Weak offer
New York, NY → Fresno, CA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$211/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fresno, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; New York, NY is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Fresno, CA to New York, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fresno, CA | New York, NY | Real change, Fresno → New York |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $72,737 | +6.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $88,005 | +6.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $105,481 | +6.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $125,431 | +6.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $148,222 | +6.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fresno, CA | New York, NY | New York pay in Fresno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,800 | $96,900 | $87,943 (+11.6%) |
| Software Developers | $129,060 | $166,830 | $151,409 (+17.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,690 | $105,650 | $95,884 (+21.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | $119,720 | $108,653 (−13.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.