City comparison
Kansas City, MO vs Visalia, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Visalia, CA are 7.9% higher than in Kansas City, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Kansas City, MO would need about $107,900 in Visalia, CA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,197 a month in Kansas City, MO versus $1,123 in Visalia, CA. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Kansas City, MO and 18% in Visalia, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,308 a year higher in Visalia, CA than in Kansas City, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.1% moving from Kansas City, MO to Visalia, CA ($108,173 → $106,973), while prices change by +7.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.3% in real buying power.
- Kansas City, MO: price level 92.5 (cheaper)
- 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
| Kansas City, MO | Visalia, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.5 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,869 in Visalia | $92,705 in Kansas City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,197/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,417 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,763 (MO) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,820 | $45,130 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA |
Rent areas: Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area and Visalia, CA MSA. Metro areas: Kansas City, MO-KS and Visalia, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kansas City | Visalia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 84.1 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 156.4 |
| Other services | 93.4 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 92.5 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kansas City, MO → Visalia, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,308/yr.
46 Fair offer
Visalia, CA → Kansas City, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,308/yr.
93 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Kansas City, MO is in the Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS pay area; Visalia, CA is in Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Kansas City, MO to Visalia, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kansas City, MO | Visalia, CA | Real change, Kansas City → Visalia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,729 | $62,033 | −8.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,897 | $75,055 | −8.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,968 | $89,959 | −8.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,173 | $106,973 | −8.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,829 | $126,410 | −8.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kansas City, MO | Visalia, CA | Visalia pay in Kansas City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,060 | $98,430 | $91,250 (+49.4%) |
| Software Developers | $124,990 | $126,170 | $116,966 (−6.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $79,400 | $73,608 (−8.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,040 | $125,180 | $116,048 (+39.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.