City comparison
Oxnard, CA vs Seattle, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Oxnard, CA (110.5) and Seattle, WA (111.1, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Oxnard, CA goes as far as $100,500 in Seattle, WA.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $2,250 a month in Oxnard, CA and $2,146 in Seattle, WA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Oxnard, CA than in Seattle, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.6% moving from Oxnard, CA to Seattle, WA ($124,085 → $119,630), while prices change by +0.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.1% in real buying power.
- Oxnard, CA: price level 110.5 (much pricier)
- Seattle, WA: price level 111.1 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Oxnard, CA | Seattle, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 110.5 | 111.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,542 in Seattle | $99,461 in Oxnard |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,250/mo | $2,146/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 | 36% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,510 | $72,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA MSA and Seattle-Bellevue, WA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Oxnard | Seattle |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 171.1 | 151.3 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 104.0 |
| Utilities | 152.9 | 92.8 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 106.8 |
| Overall | 110.5 | 111.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Oxnard, CA → Seattle, WA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.5%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
56 Fair offer
Seattle, WA → Oxnard, CA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.5%; rent takes 36% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Oxnard, CA is in the Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA pay area; Seattle, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Oxnard, CA to Seattle, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Oxnard, CA | Seattle, WA | Real change, Oxnard → Seattle |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,957 | $69,373 | −4.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $87,061 | $83,935 | −4.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $104,349 | $100,602 | −4.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $124,085 | $119,630 | −4.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $146,632 | $141,367 | −4.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Oxnard, CA | Seattle, WA | Seattle pay in Oxnard dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $99,420 | $102,920 | $102,365 (+3.0%) |
| Software Developers | $159,430 | $167,280 | $166,378 (+4.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $90,340 | $99,370 | $98,834 (+9.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $131,160 | $128,260 | $127,569 (−2.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.