City comparison
Cleveland, OH vs Modesto, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Modesto, CA are 10.8% higher than in Cleveland, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cleveland, OH would need about $110,800 in Modesto, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,356 a month in Modesto, CA versus $1,058 in Cleveland, OH. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Modesto, CA and 16% in Cleveland, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,103 a year higher in Modesto, CA than in Cleveland, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +19.7% moving from Cleveland, OH to Modesto, CA ($111,138 → $133,060), while prices change by +10.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.0% in real buying power.
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
- Modesto, CA: price level 104.1 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cleveland, OH | Modesto, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.9 | 104.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,844 in Modesto | $90,217 in Cleveland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,058/mo | $1,356/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% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,140 | $50,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Modesto, CA MSA. Metro areas: Cleveland, OH and Modesto, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cleveland | Modesto |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.4 | 108.5 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 96.0 | 152.3 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 93.9 | 104.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cleveland, OH → Modesto, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.8%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$3,103/yr.
38 Weak offer
Modesto, CA → Cleveland, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$3,103/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cleveland, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Modesto, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Cleveland, OH to Modesto, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cleveland, OH | Modesto, CA | Real change, Cleveland → Modesto |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $77,161 | +8.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $93,358 | +8.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $111,896 | +8.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $133,060 | +8.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $157,236 | +8.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cleveland, OH | Modesto, CA | Modesto pay in Cleveland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,470 | $101,640 | $91,696 (+19.9%) |
| Software Developers | $111,310 | $119,770 | $108,053 (−2.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,000 | $83,560 | $75,385 (−5.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,940 | $132,590 | $119,619 (+42.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.