City comparison
Minneapolis, MN vs Sacramento, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Sacramento, CA are 1.8% higher than in Minneapolis, MN. Someone earning $100,000 in Minneapolis, MN would need about $101,800 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 $1,405 in Minneapolis, MN. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Sacramento, CA and 23% in Minneapolis, MN.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $5,277 a year in MN and $5,070 in CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.7% moving from Minneapolis, MN to Sacramento, CA ($116,038 → $117,984), while prices change by +1.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.1% in real buying power.
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (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
| Minneapolis, MN | Sacramento, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.8 | 106.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,763 in Sacramento | $98,268 in Minneapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,405/mo | $1,832/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,903 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,277 (MN) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,320 | $59,750 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV |
Rent areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI and Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Minneapolis | Sacramento |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.8 | 130.2 |
| Goods | 103.1 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 93.5 | 151.3 |
| Other services | 104.4 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 104.8 | 106.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Minneapolis, MN → Sacramento, CA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.7%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax −$206/yr.
56 Fair offer
Sacramento, CA → Minneapolis, MN
Roughly even
Buying power +1.8%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$206/yr.
74 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Minneapolis, MN is in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI pay area; Sacramento, CA is in Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Minneapolis, MN to Sacramento, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Minneapolis, MN | Sacramento, CA | Real change, Minneapolis → Sacramento |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $67,290 | $68,419 | −0.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $81,415 | $82,780 | −0.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $97,582 | $99,218 | −0.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $116,038 | $117,984 | −0.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $137,123 | $139,422 | −0.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Minneapolis, MN | Sacramento, CA | Sacramento pay in Minneapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,730 | $103,390 | $101,599 (+27.4%) |
| Software Developers | $130,920 | $139,640 | $137,221 (+4.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $86,500 | $92,110 | $90,514 (+4.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,040 | $171,460 | $168,490 (+63.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.