City comparison
Boston, MA vs Fresno, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boston, MA are 6.0% higher than in Fresno, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in Fresno, CA would need about $106,000 in Boston, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,476 a month in Boston, MA versus $1,355 in Fresno, CA. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in Boston, MA and 22% in Fresno, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $290 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Boston, MA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.3% moving from Boston, MA to Fresno, CA ($120,548 → $106,973), while prices change by −5.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.0% in real buying power.
- Boston, MA: price level 108.3 (much 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
| Boston, MA | Fresno, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.3 | 102.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,358 in Fresno | $105,979 in Boston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,476/mo | $1,355/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (MA) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 40% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $66,620 | $46,910 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA |
Rent areas: Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH and Fresno, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boston | Fresno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.4 | 95.7 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 148.8 | 161.0 |
| Other services | 103.6 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 108.3 | 102.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boston, MA → Fresno, CA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$290/yr.
87 Strong offer
Fresno, CA → Boston, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.6%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax −$290/yr.
29 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boston, MA is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Fresno, CA is in Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Boston, MA to Fresno, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boston, MA | Fresno, CA | Real change, Boston → Fresno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $62,033 | −6.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $75,055 | −6.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $89,959 | −6.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $106,973 | −6.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $126,410 | −6.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boston, MA | Fresno, CA | Fresno pay in Boston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,060 | $78,800 | $83,511 (−14.8%) |
| Software Developers | $166,090 | $129,060 | $136,776 (−17.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,150 | $78,690 | $83,395 (−16.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,180 | $125,420 | $132,919 (+25.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.