City comparison
Modesto, CA vs Reno, NV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Modesto, CA are 3.1% higher than in Reno, NV. Someone earning $100,000 in Reno, NV would need about $103,100 in Modesto, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,489 a month in Reno, NV versus $1,356 in Modesto, CA. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Reno, NV and 22% in Modesto, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Modesto, CA than in Reno, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −19.7% moving from Modesto, CA to Reno, NV ($133,060 → $106,855), while prices change by −3.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −17.2% in real buying power.
- Modesto, CA: price level 104.1 (pricier)
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Modesto, CA | Reno, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.1 | 101.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,028 in Reno | $103,063 in Modesto |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,356/mo | $1,489/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $0 (NV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,610 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | Reno-Fernley, NV |
Rent areas: Modesto, CA MSA and Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Modesto, CA and Reno, NV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Modesto | Reno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 108.5 | 123.5 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 152.3 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 104.1 | 101.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Modesto, CA → Reno, NV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.1%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
78 Strong offer
Reno, NV → Modesto, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
59 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Modesto, CA is in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA pay area; Reno, NV is in Reno-Fernley, NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Modesto, CA to Reno, NV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Modesto, CA | Reno, NV | Real change, Modesto → Reno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $61,965 | −17.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $74,972 | −17.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $89,859 | −17.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $106,855 | −17.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $126,271 | −17.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Modesto, CA | Reno, NV | Reno pay in Modesto dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $101,640 | $62,430 | $64,342 (−36.7%) |
| Software Developers | $119,770 | $125,710 | $129,560 (+8.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,560 | $82,370 | $84,893 (+1.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $132,590 | $107,520 | $110,813 (−16.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.