City comparison
Bakersfield, CA vs Memphis, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bakersfield, CA are 9.4% higher than in Memphis, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Memphis, TN would need about $109,400 in Bakersfield, CA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,140 a month in Bakersfield, CA and $1,154 in Memphis, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Bakersfield, CA than in Memphis, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −14.2% moving from Bakersfield, CA to Memphis, TN ($124,085 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.1% in real buying power.
- Bakersfield, CA: price level 100.9 (about average)
- Memphis, TN: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Bakersfield, CA | Memphis, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,369 in Memphis | $109,446 in Bakersfield |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,140/mo | $1,154/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,470 | $46,890 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Bakersfield-Delano, CA MSA and Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Bakersfield-Delano, CA and Memphis, TN-MS-AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bakersfield | Memphis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 90.3 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 158.3 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 95.4 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bakersfield, CA → Memphis, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
98 Strong offer
Memphis, TN → Bakersfield, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
42 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Bakersfield, CA is in the Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA pay area; Memphis, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Bakersfield, CA to Memphis, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bakersfield, CA | Memphis, TN | Real change, Bakersfield → Memphis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,957 | $61,722 | −6.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $87,061 | $74,678 | −6.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $104,349 | $89,508 | −6.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $124,085 | $106,437 | −6.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $146,632 | $125,776 | −6.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bakersfield, CA | Memphis, TN | Memphis pay in Bakersfield dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,900 | $61,510 | $67,320 (−15.7%) |
| Software Developers | $130,330 | $125,580 | $137,442 (+5.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,620 | $76,960 | $84,229 (+5.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $128,810 | $81,500 | $89,198 (−30.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.