City comparison
Raleigh, NC vs Sacramento, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Sacramento, CA are 8.7% higher than in Raleigh, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Raleigh, NC would need about $108,700 in Sacramento, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,832 a month in Sacramento, CA versus $1,596 in Raleigh, NC. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Sacramento, CA and 25% in Raleigh, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,589 a year higher in Sacramento, CA than in Raleigh, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.2% moving from Raleigh, NC to Sacramento, CA ($111,147 → $117,984), while prices change by +8.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.3% in real buying power.
- Raleigh, NC: price level 98.2 (about average)
- Sacramento, CA: price level 106.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Raleigh, NC | Sacramento, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.2 | 106.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,673 in Sacramento | $92,019 in Raleigh |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,596/mo | $1,832/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,990 | $59,750 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV |
Rent areas: Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA and Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Raleigh-Cary, NC and Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Raleigh | Sacramento |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 103.5 | 130.2 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 151.3 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 98.2 | 106.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Raleigh, NC → Sacramento, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.0%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax +$1,589/yr.
37 Weak offer
Sacramento, CA → Raleigh, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.7%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$1,589/yr.
95 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Raleigh, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Sacramento, CA is in Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Raleigh, NC to Sacramento, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Raleigh, NC | Sacramento, CA | Real change, Raleigh → Sacramento |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $68,419 | −2.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $82,780 | −2.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $99,218 | −2.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $117,984 | −2.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $139,422 | −2.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Raleigh, NC | Sacramento, CA | Sacramento pay in Raleigh dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,170 | $103,390 | $95,139 (+58.1%) |
| Software Developers | $132,770 | $139,640 | $128,496 (−3.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,950 | $92,110 | $84,759 (+3.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,830 | $171,460 | $157,776 (+86.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.