City comparison
St. Louis, MO vs Stockton, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Stockton, CA are 10.5% higher than in St. Louis, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in St. Louis, MO would need about $110,500 in Stockton, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,395 a month in Stockton, CA versus $995 in St. Louis, MO. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Stockton, CA and 16% in St. Louis, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,308 a year higher in Stockton, CA than in St. Louis, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +21.9% moving from St. Louis, MO to Stockton, CA ($109,137 → $133,060), while prices change by +10.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.3% in real buying power.
- St. Louis, MO: price level 95.1 (cheaper)
- 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
| St. Louis, MO | Stockton, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.1 | 105.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,518 in Stockton | $90,483 in St. Louis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $995/mo | $1,395/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,417 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,763 (MO) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $48,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area and Stockton-Lodi, CA MSA. Metro areas: St. Louis, MO-IL and Stockton-Lodi, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | St. Louis | Stockton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.0 | 115.6 |
| Goods | 100.0 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 69.9 | 158.2 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 95.1 | 105.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
St. Louis, MO → Stockton, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.5%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,308/yr.
39 Weak offer
Stockton, CA → St. Louis, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,308/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
St. Louis, MO is in the St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL pay area; Stockton, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from St. Louis, MO to Stockton, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | St. Louis, MO | Stockton, CA | Real change, St. Louis → Stockton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,288 | $77,161 | +10.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,573 | $93,358 | +10.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,779 | $111,896 | +10.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,137 | $133,060 | +10.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,967 | $157,236 | +10.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | St. Louis, MO | Stockton, CA | Stockton pay in St. Louis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,650 | $97,400 | $88,131 (+45.3%) |
| Software Developers | $129,030 | $138,550 | $125,365 (−2.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,880 | $83,570 | $75,617 (−4.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,180 | $134,580 | $121,772 (+46.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.