City comparison
San Luis Obispo, CA vs Stockton, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in San Luis Obispo, CA are 3.3% higher than in Stockton, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in Stockton, CA would need about $103,300 in San Luis Obispo, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,914 a month in San Luis Obispo, CA versus $1,395 in Stockton, CA. On $100,000, that's 31% of take-home pay in San Luis Obispo, CA and 23% in Stockton, 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 +7.2% moving from San Luis Obispo, CA to Stockton, CA ($124,085 → $133,060), while prices change by −3.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.8% in real buying power.
- San Luis Obispo, CA: price level 108.6 (much pricier)
- Stockton, CA: price level 105.1 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| San Luis Obispo, CA | Stockton, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.6 | 105.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,771 in Stockton | $103,337 in San Luis Obispo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,914/mo | $1,395/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 | 31% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,770 | $48,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA MSA and Stockton-Lodi, CA MSA. Metro areas: San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA and Stockton-Lodi, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | San Luis Obispo | Stockton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 144.4 | 115.6 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 147.8 | 158.2 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 108.6 | 105.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
San Luis Obispo, CA → Stockton, CA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.3%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
79 Strong offer
Stockton, CA → San Luis Obispo, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.2%; rent takes 31% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
50 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
San Luis Obispo, CA is in the Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA pay area; Stockton, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from San Luis Obispo, CA to Stockton, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | San Luis Obispo, CA | Stockton, CA | Real change, San Luis Obispo → Stockton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,957 | $77,161 | +10.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $87,061 | $93,358 | +10.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $104,349 | $111,896 | +10.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $124,085 | $133,060 | +10.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $146,632 | $157,236 | +10.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | San Luis Obispo, CA | Stockton, CA | Stockton pay in San Luis Obispo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $97,620 | $97,400 | $100,650 (+3.1%) |
| Software Developers | $135,020 | $138,550 | $143,174 (+6.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,160 | $83,570 | $86,359 (−2.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $138,820 | $134,580 | $139,071 (+0.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.