City comparison
Fresno, CA vs Greeley, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fresno, CA are 2.0% higher than in Greeley, CO. Someone earning $100,000 in Greeley, CO would need about $102,000 in Fresno, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,355 a month in Fresno, CA versus $1,238 in Greeley, CO. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Fresno, CA and 20% in Greeley, CO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,379 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Greeley, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.9% moving from Fresno, CA to Greeley, CO ($106,973 → $118,675), while prices change by −1.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +13.1% in real buying power.
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
- Greeley, CO: price level 100.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fresno, CA | Greeley, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.2 | 100.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,060 in Greeley | $101,979 in Fresno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,355/mo | $1,238/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $75,488 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $3,692 (CO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,910 | $55,070 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | Denver-Aurora, CO |
Rent areas: Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Greeley, CO MSA. Metro areas: Fresno, CA and Greeley, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fresno | Greeley |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.7 | 112.6 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.1 |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 82.0 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 102.2 | 100.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fresno, CA → Greeley, CO
Roughly even
Buying power +2.0%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,379/yr.
75 Strong offer
Greeley, CO → Fresno, CA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,379/yr.
63 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fresno, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; Greeley, CO is in Denver-Aurora, CO. The last column shows what a transfer from Fresno, CA to Greeley, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fresno, CA | Greeley, CO | Real change, Fresno → Greeley |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $68,819 | +13.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $83,265 | +13.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $99,800 | +13.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $118,675 | +13.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $140,239 | +13.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fresno, CA | Greeley, CO | Greeley pay in Fresno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,800 | $60,160 | $61,350 (−22.1%) |
| Software Developers | $129,060 | $129,480 | $132,042 (+2.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,690 | $87,240 | $88,966 (+13.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | $96,300 | $98,205 (−21.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.