City comparison
Bakersfield, CA vs Las Vegas, NV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Bakersfield, CA (100.9) and Las Vegas, NV (100.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Bakersfield, CA goes as far as $99,300 in Las Vegas, NV.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,478 a month in Las Vegas, NV versus $1,140 in Bakersfield, CA. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Las Vegas, NV and 18% in Bakersfield, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Bakersfield, CA than in Las Vegas, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −12.4% moving from Bakersfield, CA to Las Vegas, NV ($124,085 → $108,719), while prices change by −0.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −11.8% in real buying power.
- Bakersfield, CA: price level 100.9 (about average)
- Las Vegas, NV: price level 100.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Bakersfield, CA | Las Vegas, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 100.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,335 in Las Vegas | $100,670 in Bakersfield |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,140/mo | $1,478/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $0 (NV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,470 | $46,670 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ |
Rent areas: Bakersfield-Delano, CA MSA and Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV MSA. Metro areas: Bakersfield-Delano, CA and Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bakersfield | Las Vegas |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 90.3 | 115.5 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 158.3 | 90.6 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 100.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bakersfield, CA → Las Vegas, NV
Roughly even
Buying power +0.7%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
71 Strong offer
Las Vegas, NV → Bakersfield, CA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
67 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Bakersfield, CA is in the Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA pay area; Las Vegas, NV is in Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Bakersfield, CA to Las Vegas, NV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bakersfield, CA | Las Vegas, NV | Real change, Bakersfield → Las Vegas |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,957 | $63,046 | −11.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $87,061 | $76,280 | −11.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $104,349 | $91,427 | −11.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $124,085 | $108,719 | −11.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $146,632 | $128,473 | −11.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bakersfield, CA | Las Vegas, NV | Las Vegas pay in Bakersfield dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,900 | $65,040 | $65,475 (−18.1%) |
| Software Developers | $130,330 | $129,940 | $130,810 (+0.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,620 | $80,530 | $81,069 (+1.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $128,810 | $103,940 | $104,636 (−18.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.