City comparison
Baltimore, MD vs Fresno, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Baltimore, MD are 2.3% higher than in Fresno, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in Fresno, CA would need about $102,300 in Baltimore, MD to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,511 a month in Baltimore, MD versus $1,355 in Fresno, CA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Baltimore, MD and 22% in Fresno, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $684 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Baltimore, MD.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −12.2% moving from Baltimore, MD to Fresno, CA ($121,785 → $106,973), while prices change by −2.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −10.2% in real buying power.
- Baltimore, MD: price level 104.5 (pricier)
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Baltimore, MD | Fresno, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.5 | 102.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,771 in Fresno | $102,280 in Baltimore |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,511/mo | $1,355/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,070 | $46,910 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA |
Rent areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA and Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD and Fresno, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baltimore | Fresno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 118.2 | 95.7 |
| Goods | 102.4 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 110.2 | 161.0 |
| Other services | 101.5 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 104.5 | 102.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baltimore, MD → Fresno, CA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$684/yr.
76 Strong offer
Fresno, CA → Baltimore, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$684/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baltimore, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Fresno, CA is in Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Baltimore, MD to Fresno, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baltimore, MD | Fresno, CA | Real change, Baltimore → Fresno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $62,033 | −10.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $75,055 | −10.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $89,959 | −10.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $106,973 | −10.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $126,410 | −10.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baltimore, MD | Fresno, CA | Fresno pay in Baltimore dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,400 | $78,800 | $80,596 (+5.5%) |
| Software Developers | $138,900 | $129,060 | $132,002 (−5.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,160 | $78,690 | $80,484 (−5.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,550 | $125,420 | $128,279 (+28.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.