City comparison
Boise City, ID vs Stockton, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Stockton, CA are 6.8% higher than in Boise City, ID. Someone earning $100,000 in Boise City, ID would need about $106,800 in Stockton, CA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,381 a month in Boise City, ID and $1,395 in Stockton, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $879 a year higher in Stockton, CA than in Boise City, ID.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +25.0% moving from Boise City, ID to Stockton, CA ($106,437 → $133,060), while prices change by +6.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +17.0% in real buying power.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (about average)
- 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
| Boise City, ID | Stockton, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 105.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,808 in Stockton | $93,626 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $1,395/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% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,100 | $48,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and Stockton-Lodi, CA MSA. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and Stockton-Lodi, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | Stockton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 115.6 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 158.2 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 105.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → Stockton, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.4%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$879/yr.
49 Fair offer
Stockton, CA → Boise City, ID
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.8%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$879/yr.
90 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boise City, ID is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Stockton, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Boise City, ID to Stockton, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | Stockton, CA | Real change, Boise City → Stockton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $77,161 | +17.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $93,358 | +17.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $111,896 | +17.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $133,060 | +17.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $157,236 | +17.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | Stockton, CA | Stockton pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $97,400 | $91,192 (+48.9%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $138,550 | $129,719 (−1.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $83,570 | $78,244 (+2.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $134,580 | $126,002 (+28.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.