City comparison
Modesto, CA vs Richmond, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Modesto, CA are 6.4% higher than in Richmond, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Richmond, VA would need about $106,400 in Modesto, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Richmond, VA versus $1,356 in Modesto, CA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Richmond, VA and 22% in Modesto, CA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $5,070 a year in CA and $4,936 in VA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −16.4% moving from Modesto, CA to Richmond, VA ($133,060 → $111,183), while prices change by −6.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −11.1% in real buying power.
- Modesto, CA: price level 104.1 (pricier)
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Modesto, CA | Richmond, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.1 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,997 in Richmond | $106,387 in Modesto |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,356/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,610 | $51,460 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | Richmond, VA |
Rent areas: Modesto, CA MSA and Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Modesto, CA and Richmond, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Modesto | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 108.5 | 99.1 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 152.3 | 89.2 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 104.1 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Modesto, CA → Richmond, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$135/yr.
89 Strong offer
Richmond, VA → Modesto, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$135/yr.
50 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Modesto, CA is in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA pay area; Richmond, VA is in Richmond, VA. The last column shows what a transfer from Modesto, CA to Richmond, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Modesto, CA | Richmond, VA | Real change, Modesto → Richmond |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $64,475 | −11.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $78,009 | −11.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $93,499 | −11.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $111,183 | −11.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $131,385 | −11.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Modesto, CA | Richmond, VA | Richmond pay in Modesto dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $101,640 | $61,290 | $65,204 (−35.8%) |
| Software Developers | $119,770 | $132,120 | $140,558 (+17.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,560 | $84,220 | $89,599 (+7.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $132,590 | $93,580 | $99,557 (−24.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.