City comparison
Modesto, CA vs Riverside, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Riverside, CA are 2.2% higher than in Modesto, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in Modesto, CA would need about $102,200 in Riverside, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,777 a month in Riverside, CA versus $1,356 in Modesto, CA. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Riverside, CA and 22% in Modesto, CA.
- Both are in CA, so estimated state income tax is the same: $5,070 a year on $100,000.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.7% moving from Modesto, CA to Riverside, CA ($133,060 → $124,085), while prices change by +2.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.8% in real buying power.
- Modesto, CA: price level 104.1 (pricier)
- Riverside, CA: price level 106.4 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Modesto, CA | Riverside, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.1 | 106.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,242 in Riverside | $97,807 in Modesto |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,356/mo | $1,777/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 29% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,610 | $48,400 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Modesto, CA MSA and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA MSA. Metro areas: Modesto, CA and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Modesto | Riverside |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 108.5 | 129.3 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 101.4 |
| Utilities | 152.3 | 148.6 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 101.3 |
| Overall | 104.1 | 106.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Modesto, CA → Riverside, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.2%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
56 Fair offer
Riverside, CA → Modesto, CA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
76 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Modesto, CA is in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA pay area; Riverside, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Modesto, CA to Riverside, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Modesto, CA | Riverside, CA | Real change, Modesto → Riverside |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $71,957 | −8.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $87,061 | −8.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $104,349 | −8.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $124,085 | −8.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $146,632 | −8.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Modesto, CA | Riverside, CA | Riverside pay in Modesto dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $101,640 | $98,520 | $96,360 (−5.2%) |
| Software Developers | $119,770 | $133,270 | $130,348 (+8.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,560 | $83,920 | $82,080 (−1.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $132,590 | $133,940 | $131,003 (−1.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.