City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Stockton, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Boulder, CO (105.2) and Stockton, CA (105.1, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Boulder, CO goes as far as $99,900 in Stockton, CA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $1,395 in Stockton, CA. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 23% in Stockton, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,379 a year higher in Stockton, CA than in Boulder, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.1% moving from Boulder, CO to Stockton, CA ($118,675 → $133,060), while prices change by −0.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +12.2% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- 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
| Boulder, CO | Stockton, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 105.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,893 in Stockton | $100,108 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,395/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $48,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Stockton-Lodi, CA MSA. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Stockton-Lodi, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Stockton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 115.6 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 158.2 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 105.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Stockton, CA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.1%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,379/yr.
69 Fair offer
Stockton, CA → Boulder, CO
Roughly even
Buying power −0.1%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax −$1,379/yr.
63 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Stockton, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Stockton, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Stockton, CA | Real change, Boulder → Stockton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $77,161 | +12.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $93,358 | +12.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $111,896 | +12.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $133,060 | +12.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $157,236 | +12.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Stockton, CA | Stockton pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $97,400 | $97,505 (+20.9%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $138,550 | $138,699 (−15.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $83,570 | $83,660 (−16.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $134,580 | $134,725 (+30.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.