City comparison
Santa Rosa, CA vs Stockton, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Santa Rosa, CA are 2.6% higher than in Stockton, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in Stockton, CA would need about $102,600 in Santa Rosa, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,155 a month in Santa Rosa, CA versus $1,395 in Stockton, CA. On $100,000, that's 35% of take-home pay in Santa Rosa, 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.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $133,060 in either. A transfer from Santa Rosa, CA to Stockton, CA changes real buying power by +2.6%, purely from prices.
- Santa Rosa, CA: price level 107.8 (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
| Santa Rosa, CA | Stockton, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 107.8 | 105.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,500 in Stockton | $102,564 in Santa Rosa |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,155/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 | 35% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,850 | $48,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA MSA and Stockton-Lodi, CA MSA. Metro areas: Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA and Stockton-Lodi, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Santa Rosa | Stockton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 139.6 | 115.6 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 154.8 | 158.2 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 107.8 | 105.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Santa Rosa, CA → Stockton, CA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.6%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
77 Strong offer
Stockton, CA → Santa Rosa, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.5%; rent takes 35% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
46 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Santa Rosa, CA to Stockton, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Santa Rosa, CA | Stockton, CA | Real change, Santa Rosa → Stockton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $77,161 | +2.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $93,358 | +2.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $111,896 | +2.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $133,060 | +2.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $157,236 | +2.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Santa Rosa, CA | Stockton, CA | Stockton pay in Santa Rosa dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $99,060 | $97,400 | $99,898 (+0.8%) |
| Software Developers | $148,630 | $138,550 | $142,103 (−4.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $94,690 | $83,570 | $85,713 (−9.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $174,550 | $134,580 | $138,031 (−20.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.