City comparison
Fresno, CA vs Visalia, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fresno, CA are 2.3% higher than in Visalia, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in Visalia, CA would need about $102,300 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 $1,123 in Visalia, CA. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Fresno, CA and 18% in Visalia, CA.
- Both are in CA, so estimated state income tax is the same: $5,070 a year on $100,000.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,973 in either. A transfer from Fresno, CA to Visalia, CA changes real buying power by +2.3%, purely from prices.
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
- Visalia, CA: price level 99.8 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fresno, CA | Visalia, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.2 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,716 in Visalia | $102,337 in Fresno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,355/mo | $1,123/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% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,910 | $45,130 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA |
Rent areas: Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Visalia, CA MSA. Metro areas: Fresno, CA and Visalia, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fresno | Visalia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.7 | 84.1 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 156.4 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 102.2 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fresno, CA → Visalia, CA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
76 Strong offer
Visalia, CA → Fresno, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Fresno, CA to Visalia, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fresno, CA | Visalia, CA | Real change, Fresno → Visalia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $62,033 | +2.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $75,055 | +2.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $89,959 | +2.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $106,973 | +2.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $126,410 | +2.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fresno, CA | Visalia, CA | Visalia pay in Fresno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,800 | $98,430 | $100,730 (+27.8%) |
| Software Developers | $129,060 | $126,170 | $129,119 (+0.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,690 | $79,400 | $81,256 (+3.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | $125,180 | $128,106 (+2.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.