City comparison
Greensboro, NC vs Modesto, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Modesto, CA are 12.1% higher than in Greensboro, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Greensboro, NC would need about $112,100 in Modesto, CA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,356 a month in Modesto, CA versus $1,213 in Greensboro, NC. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Modesto, CA and 19% in Greensboro, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,589 a year higher in Modesto, CA than in Greensboro, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +25.0% moving from Greensboro, NC to Modesto, CA ($106,437 → $133,060), while prices change by +12.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.5% in real buying power.
- Greensboro, NC: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
- Modesto, CA: price level 104.1 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Greensboro, NC | Modesto, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 104.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,107 in Modesto | $89,201 in Greensboro |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,213/mo | $1,356/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,570 | $50,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Greensboro-High Point, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Modesto, CA MSA. Metro areas: Greensboro-High Point, NC and Modesto, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greensboro | Modesto |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.5 | 108.5 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 89.1 | 152.3 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 104.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greensboro, NC → Modesto, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.8%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,589/yr.
38 Weak offer
Modesto, CA → Greensboro, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,589/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Greensboro, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Modesto, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Greensboro, NC to Modesto, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greensboro, NC | Modesto, CA | Real change, Greensboro → Modesto |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $77,161 | +11.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $93,358 | +11.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $111,896 | +11.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $133,060 | +11.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $157,236 | +11.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greensboro, NC | Modesto, CA | Modesto pay in Greensboro dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,730 | $101,640 | $90,664 (+51.8%) |
| Software Developers | $125,190 | $119,770 | $106,836 (−14.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,170 | $83,560 | $74,536 (−7.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $132,590 | $118,271 (+42.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.