City comparison
Modesto, CA vs Olympia, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Modesto, CA (104.1) and Olympia, WA (103.7, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Modesto, CA goes as far as $99,600 in Olympia, WA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,682 a month in Olympia, WA versus $1,356 in Modesto, CA. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Olympia, WA and 22% in Modesto, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Modesto, CA than in Olympia, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.1% moving from Modesto, CA to Olympia, WA ($133,060 → $119,630), while prices change by −0.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.7% in real buying power.
- Modesto, CA: price level 104.1 (pricier)
- Olympia, WA: price level 103.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Modesto, CA | Olympia, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.1 | 103.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,579 in Olympia | $100,422 in Modesto |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,356/mo | $1,682/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,610 | $61,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Modesto, CA MSA and Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA MSA. Metro areas: Modesto, CA and Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Modesto | Olympia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 108.5 | 116.7 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 152.3 | 91.7 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 104.1 | 103.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Modesto, CA → Olympia, WA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.4%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
69 Fair offer
Olympia, WA → Modesto, CA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.4%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
67 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Modesto, CA is in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA pay area; Olympia, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Modesto, CA to Olympia, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Modesto, CA | Olympia, WA | Real change, Modesto → Olympia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $69,373 | −9.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $83,935 | −9.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $100,602 | −9.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $119,630 | −9.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $141,367 | −9.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Modesto, CA | Olympia, WA | Olympia pay in Modesto dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $101,640 | $104,650 | $105,092 (+3.4%) |
| Software Developers | $119,770 | $124,060 | $124,584 (+4.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,560 | $94,470 | $94,869 (+13.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $132,590 | $125,020 | $125,548 (−5.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.