City comparison
Boise City, ID vs Fresno, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fresno, CA are 3.8% higher than in Boise City, ID. Someone earning $100,000 in Boise City, ID would need about $103,800 in Fresno, CA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,381 a month in Boise City, ID and $1,355 in Fresno, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $879 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Boise City, ID.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.5% moving from Boise City, ID to Fresno, CA ($106,437 → $106,973), while prices change by +3.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.2% in real buying power.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (about average)
- 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
| Boise City, ID | Fresno, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 102.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,829 in Fresno | $96,313 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $1,355/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,988 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,192 (ID) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,100 | $46,910 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and Fresno, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | Fresno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 95.7 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 161.0 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 102.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → Fresno, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.7%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$879/yr.
57 Fair offer
Fresno, CA → Boise City, ID
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.8%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$879/yr.
81 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boise City, ID is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Fresno, CA is in Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Boise City, ID to Fresno, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | Fresno, CA | Real change, Boise City → Fresno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,033 | −3.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,055 | −3.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,959 | −3.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,973 | −3.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,410 | −3.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | Fresno, CA | Fresno pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $78,800 | $75,894 (+23.9%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $129,060 | $124,301 (−5.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $78,690 | $75,788 (−1.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $125,420 | $120,795 (+23.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.