City comparison
Fresno, CA vs Philadelphia, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Fresno, CA (102.2) and Philadelphia, PA (102.6, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Fresno, CA goes as far as $100,400 in Philadelphia, PA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,520 a month in Philadelphia, PA versus $1,355 in Fresno, CA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA and 22% in Fresno, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,000 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Philadelphia, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.6% moving from Fresno, CA to Philadelphia, PA ($106,973 → $117,284), while prices change by +0.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.2% in real buying power.
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fresno, CA | Philadelphia, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.2 | 102.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,388 in Philadelphia | $99,614 in Fresno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,355/mo | $1,520/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% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,910 | $54,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA. Metro areas: Fresno, CA and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fresno | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.7 | 113.1 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 114.4 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 103.1 |
| Overall | 102.2 | 102.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fresno, CA → Philadelphia, PA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$2,000/yr.
68 Fair offer
Philadelphia, PA → Fresno, CA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.4%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$2,000/yr.
70 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fresno, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; Philadelphia, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Fresno, CA to Philadelphia, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fresno, CA | Philadelphia, PA | Real change, Fresno → Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $68,013 | +9.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $82,289 | +9.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $98,630 | +9.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $117,284 | +9.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $138,595 | +9.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fresno, CA | Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia pay in Fresno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,800 | $78,570 | $78,267 (−0.7%) |
| Software Developers | $129,060 | $133,040 | $132,526 (+2.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,690 | $85,990 | $85,658 (+8.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | $101,180 | $100,789 (−19.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.