City comparison
Denver, CO vs Sacramento, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Denver, CO (105.8) and Sacramento, CA (106.7, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Denver, CO goes as far as $100,800 in Sacramento, CA.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,754 a month in Denver, CO and $1,832 in Sacramento, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,379 a year higher in Sacramento, CA than in Denver, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.6% moving from Denver, CO to Sacramento, CA ($118,675 → $117,984), while prices change by +0.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.4% in real buying power.
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (pricier)
- Sacramento, CA: price level 106.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Denver, CO | Sacramento, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.8 | 106.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,839 in Sacramento | $99,168 in Denver |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,754/mo | $1,832/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 | 28% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $62,320 | $59,750 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV |
Rent areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA and Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO and Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Denver | Sacramento |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 146.9 | 130.2 |
| Goods | 101.0 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 151.3 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 105.8 | 106.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Denver, CO → Sacramento, CA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.8%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax +$1,379/yr.
59 Fair offer
Sacramento, CA → Denver, CO
Roughly even
Buying power +0.8%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax −$1,379/yr.
67 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Denver, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Sacramento, CA is in Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Denver, CO to Sacramento, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Denver, CO | Sacramento, CA | Real change, Denver → Sacramento |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $68,419 | −1.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $82,780 | −1.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $99,218 | −1.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $117,984 | −1.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $139,422 | −1.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Denver, CO | Sacramento, CA | Sacramento pay in Denver dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,910 | $103,390 | $102,529 (+33.3%) |
| Software Developers | $137,610 | $139,640 | $138,478 (+0.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,020 | $92,110 | $91,343 (−8.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,130 | $171,460 | $170,033 (+68.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.