City comparison
Fresno, CA vs Ocala, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Fresno, CA are 7.3% higher than in Ocala, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Ocala, FL would need about $107,300 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 $1,172 in Ocala, FL. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Fresno, CA and 18% in Ocala, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Ocala, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.5% moving from Fresno, CA to Ocala, FL ($106,973 → $106,437), while prices change by −6.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.7% in real buying power.
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
- Ocala, FL: price level 95.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fresno, CA | Ocala, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.2 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,222 in Ocala | $107,271 in Fresno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,355/mo | $1,172/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% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,910 | $43,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Ocala, FL MSA. Metro areas: Fresno, CA and Ocala, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fresno | Ocala |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.7 | 86.2 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 87.1 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 102.2 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fresno, CA → Ocala, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
91 Strong offer
Ocala, FL → Fresno, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.8%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
48 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Fresno, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; Ocala, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Fresno, CA to Ocala, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fresno, CA | Ocala, FL | Real change, Fresno → Ocala |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $61,722 | +6.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $74,678 | +6.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $89,508 | +6.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $106,437 | +6.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $125,776 | +6.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fresno, CA | Ocala, FL | Ocala pay in Fresno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $118,420 | not published | — |
| Software Developers | $129,060 | $112,780 | $120,980 (−6.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,690 | $74,370 | $79,777 (+1.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | $79,230 | $84,990 (−32.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.