City comparison
Fresno, CA vs Peoria, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Fresno, CA are 12.0% higher than in Peoria, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Peoria, IL would need about $112,000 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 $818 in Peoria, IL. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Fresno, CA and 13% in Peoria, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $265 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Peoria, IL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.5% moving from Fresno, CA to Peoria, IL ($106,973 → $106,437), while prices change by −10.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.4% in real buying power.
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
- Peoria, IL: price level 91.2 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fresno, CA | Peoria, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.2 | 91.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,304 in Peoria | $111,977 in Fresno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,355/mo | $818/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,910 | $49,590 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Peoria, IL MSA. Metro areas: Fresno, CA and Peoria, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fresno | Peoria |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.7 | 63.8 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 90.5 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 102.2 | 91.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fresno, CA → Peoria, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.0%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$265/yr.
100 Strong offer
Peoria, IL → Fresno, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.7%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$265/yr.
38 Weak offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Fresno, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; Peoria, IL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Fresno, CA to Peoria, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fresno, CA | Peoria, IL | Real change, Fresno → Peoria |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $61,722 | +11.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $74,678 | +11.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $89,508 | +11.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $106,437 | +11.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $125,776 | +11.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fresno, CA | Peoria, IL | Peoria pay in Fresno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $118,420 | $132,090 | $147,911 (+24.9%) |
| Software Developers | $129,060 | $130,590 | $146,231 (+13.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,690 | $79,540 | $89,067 (+13.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | $81,010 | $90,713 (−27.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.