City comparison
Sacramento, CA vs Washington, DC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Washington, DC are 2.1% higher than in Sacramento, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in Sacramento, CA would need about $102,100 in Washington, DC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,015 a month in Washington, DC versus $1,832 in Sacramento, CA. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Washington, DC and 30% in Sacramento, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $461 a year higher in Washington, DC than in Sacramento, CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.2% moving from Sacramento, CA to Washington, DC ($117,984 → $121,785), while prices change by +2.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.1% in real buying power.
- Sacramento, CA: price level 106.7 (pricier)
- Washington, DC: price level 108.9 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Sacramento, CA | Washington, DC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 106.7 | 108.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,076 in Washington | $97,967 in Sacramento |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,832/mo | $2,015/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $73,649 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $5,532 (DC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 30% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,750 | $71,060 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Sacramento | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 130.2 | 151.1 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 104.8 |
| Utilities | 151.3 | 106.7 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 106.7 | 108.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Sacramento, CA → Washington, DC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.0%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$461/yr.
51 Fair offer
Washington, DC → Sacramento, CA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.1%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax −$461/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Sacramento, CA is in the Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV pay area; Washington, DC is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Sacramento, CA to Washington, DC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Sacramento, CA | Washington, DC | Real change, Sacramento → Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,419 | $70,623 | +1.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,780 | $85,447 | +1.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,218 | $102,415 | +1.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,984 | $121,785 | +1.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $139,422 | $143,913 | +1.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Sacramento, CA | Washington, DC | Washington pay in Sacramento dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $103,390 | $79,470 | $77,854 (−24.7%) |
| Software Developers | $139,640 | $154,930 | $151,780 (+8.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,110 | $102,140 | $100,063 (+8.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $171,460 | $102,710 | $100,622 (−41.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.