City comparison
Fresno, CA vs Raleigh, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fresno, CA are 4.1% higher than in Raleigh, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Raleigh, NC would need about $104,100 in Fresno, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,596 a month in Raleigh, NC versus $1,355 in Fresno, CA. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Raleigh, NC and 22% in Fresno, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,589 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Raleigh, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.9% moving from Fresno, CA to Raleigh, NC ($106,973 → $111,147), while prices change by −3.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.1% in real buying power.
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
- Raleigh, NC: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fresno, CA | Raleigh, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.2 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,084 in Raleigh | $104,076 in Fresno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,355/mo | $1,596/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,910 | $51,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA. Metro areas: Fresno, CA and Raleigh-Cary, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fresno | Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.7 | 103.5 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 102.2 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fresno, CA → Raleigh, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.1%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$1,589/yr.
81 Strong offer
Raleigh, NC → Fresno, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,589/yr.
57 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fresno, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; Raleigh, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Fresno, CA to Raleigh, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fresno, CA | Raleigh, NC | Real change, Fresno → Raleigh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $64,453 | +8.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $77,983 | +8.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $93,468 | +8.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $111,147 | +8.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $131,342 | +8.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fresno, CA | Raleigh, NC | Raleigh pay in Fresno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,800 | $60,170 | $62,623 (−20.5%) |
| Software Developers | $129,060 | $132,770 | $138,182 (+7.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,690 | $81,950 | $85,290 (+8.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | $84,830 | $88,288 (−29.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.