City comparison
Richmond, VA vs Visalia, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Visalia, CA are 2.0% higher than in Richmond, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Richmond, VA would need about $102,000 in Visalia, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Richmond, VA versus $1,123 in Visalia, CA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Richmond, VA and 18% in Visalia, CA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,936 a year in VA and $5,070 in CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.8% moving from Richmond, VA to Visalia, CA ($111,183 → $106,973), while prices change by +2.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.7% in real buying power.
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
- Visalia, CA: price level 99.8 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Richmond, VA | Visalia, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.9 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,010 in Visalia | $98,030 in Richmond |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,244 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,936 (VA) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,460 | $45,130 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Richmond, VA | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA |
Rent areas: Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area and Visalia, CA MSA. Metro areas: Richmond, VA and Visalia, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Richmond | Visalia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.1 | 84.1 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 156.4 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 97.9 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Richmond, VA → Visalia, CA
Roughly even
Buying power −2.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$135/yr.
63 Fair offer
Visalia, CA → Richmond, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$135/yr.
75 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Richmond, VA is in the Richmond, VA pay area; Visalia, CA is in Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Richmond, VA to Visalia, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Richmond, VA | Visalia, CA | Real change, Richmond → Visalia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,475 | $62,033 | −5.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,009 | $75,055 | −5.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,499 | $89,959 | −5.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,183 | $106,973 | −5.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,385 | $126,410 | −5.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Richmond, VA | Visalia, CA | Visalia pay in Richmond dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,290 | $98,430 | $96,490 (+57.4%) |
| Software Developers | $132,120 | $126,170 | $123,684 (−6.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,220 | $79,400 | $77,835 (−7.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $93,580 | $125,180 | $122,713 (+31.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.