City comparison
Santa Rosa, 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 1.0% higher than in Santa Rosa, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in Santa Rosa, CA would need about $101,000 in Washington, DC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,155 a month in Santa Rosa, CA versus $2,015 in Washington, DC. On $100,000, that's 35% of take-home pay in Santa Rosa, CA and 33% in Washington, DC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $461 a year higher in Washington, DC than in Santa Rosa, CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.5% moving from Santa Rosa, CA to Washington, DC ($133,060 → $121,785), while prices change by +1.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.4% in real buying power.
- Santa Rosa, CA: price level 107.8 (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
| Santa Rosa, CA | Washington, DC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 107.8 | 108.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,021 in Washington | $98,990 in Santa Rosa |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,155/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 | 35% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,850 | $71,060 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA MSA and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Santa Rosa | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 139.6 | 151.1 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 104.8 |
| Utilities | 154.8 | 106.7 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 107.8 | 108.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Santa Rosa, CA → Washington, DC
Roughly even
Buying power −1.0%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$461/yr.
54 Fair offer
Washington, DC → Santa Rosa, CA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.0%; rent takes 35% of take-home; state tax −$461/yr.
57 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Santa Rosa, CA is in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA pay area; Washington, DC is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Santa Rosa, CA to Washington, DC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Santa Rosa, CA | Washington, DC | Real change, Santa Rosa → Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $70,623 | −9.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $85,447 | −9.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $102,415 | −9.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $121,785 | −9.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $143,913 | −9.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Santa Rosa, CA | Washington, DC | Washington pay in Santa Rosa dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $99,060 | $79,470 | $78,667 (−20.6%) |
| Software Developers | $148,630 | $154,930 | $153,365 (+3.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $94,690 | $102,140 | $101,108 (+6.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $174,550 | $102,710 | $101,672 (−41.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.