City comparison
Minneapolis, MN vs Visalia, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 5.0% higher than in Visalia, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in Visalia, CA would need about $105,000 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,405 a month in Minneapolis, MN versus $1,123 in Visalia, CA. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Minneapolis, MN and 18% in Visalia, CA.
- 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 −7.8% moving from Minneapolis, MN to Visalia, CA ($116,038 → $106,973), while prices change by −4.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.2% in real buying power.
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (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
| Minneapolis, MN | Visalia, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.8 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,233 in Visalia | $105,006 in Minneapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,405/mo | $1,123/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% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,320 | $45,130 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA |
Rent areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Visalia, CA MSA. Metro areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI and Visalia, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Minneapolis | Visalia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.8 | 84.1 |
| Goods | 103.1 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 93.5 | 156.4 |
| Other services | 104.4 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 104.8 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Minneapolis, MN → Visalia, CA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$206/yr.
84 Strong offer
Visalia, CA → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.8%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$206/yr.
54 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Minneapolis, MN is in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI pay area; Visalia, CA is in Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Minneapolis, MN to Visalia, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Minneapolis, MN | Visalia, CA | Real change, Minneapolis → Visalia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $67,290 | $62,033 | −3.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $81,415 | $75,055 | −3.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $97,582 | $89,959 | −3.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $116,038 | $106,973 | −3.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $137,123 | $126,410 | −3.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Minneapolis, MN | Visalia, CA | Visalia pay in Minneapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,730 | $98,430 | $103,357 (+29.6%) |
| Software Developers | $130,920 | $126,170 | $132,486 (+1.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $86,500 | $79,400 | $83,375 (−3.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,040 | $125,180 | $131,446 (+27.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.