City comparison
Fresno, CA vs Sacramento, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Sacramento, CA are 4.4% higher than in Fresno, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in Fresno, CA would need about $104,400 in Sacramento, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,832 a month in Sacramento, CA versus $1,355 in Fresno, CA. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Sacramento, CA and 22% in Fresno, CA.
- Both are in CA, so estimated state income tax is the same: $5,070 a year on $100,000.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.3% moving from Fresno, CA to Sacramento, CA ($106,973 → $117,984), while prices change by +4.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.6% in real buying power.
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
- Sacramento, CA: price level 106.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fresno, CA | Sacramento, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.2 | 106.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,417 in Sacramento | $95,770 in Fresno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,355/mo | $1,832/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,910 | $59,750 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV |
Rent areas: Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fresno, CA and Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fresno | Sacramento |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.7 | 130.2 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 151.3 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 102.2 | 106.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fresno, CA → Sacramento, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.2%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
49 Fair offer
Sacramento, CA → Fresno, CA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.4%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
83 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fresno, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; Sacramento, CA is in Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Fresno, CA to Sacramento, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fresno, CA | Sacramento, CA | Real change, Fresno → Sacramento |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $68,419 | +5.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $82,780 | +5.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $99,218 | +5.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $117,984 | +5.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $139,422 | +5.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fresno, CA | Sacramento, CA | Sacramento pay in Fresno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,800 | $103,390 | $99,017 (+25.7%) |
| Software Developers | $129,060 | $139,640 | $133,733 (+3.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,690 | $92,110 | $88,214 (+12.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | $171,460 | $164,207 (+30.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.