City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Visalia, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Visalia, CA are 4.7% higher than in Cincinnati, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cincinnati, OH would need about $104,700 in Visalia, CA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,123 a month in Visalia, CA versus $1,051 in Cincinnati, OH. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Visalia, CA and 16% in Cincinnati, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,103 a year higher in Visalia, CA than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.5% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Visalia, CA ($110,865 → $106,973), while prices change by +4.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.8% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (cheaper)
- Visalia, CA: price level 99.8 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cincinnati, OH | Visalia, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,671 in Visalia | $95,537 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $45,130 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Visalia, CA MSA. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Visalia, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Visalia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 84.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 156.4 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Visalia, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,103/yr.
55 Fair offer
Visalia, CA → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$3,103/yr.
83 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Visalia, CA is in Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Visalia, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Visalia, CA | Real change, Cincinnati → Visalia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $62,033 | −7.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $75,055 | −7.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $89,959 | −7.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $106,973 | −7.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $126,410 | −7.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Visalia, CA | Visalia pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $98,430 | $94,037 (+45.3%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $126,170 | $120,539 (−0.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $79,400 | $75,857 (−5.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $125,180 | $119,593 (+43.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.