City comparison
Fresno, CA vs Houston, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fresno, CA are 3.6% higher than in Houston, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Houston, TX would need about $103,600 in Fresno, CA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,355 a month in Fresno, CA and $1,323 in Houston, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Houston, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +14.7% moving from Fresno, CA to Houston, TX ($106,973 → $122,749), while prices change by −3.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +18.9% in real buying power.
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
- Houston, TX: price level 98.6 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fresno, CA | Houston, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.2 | 98.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,546 in Houston | $103,578 in Fresno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,355/mo | $1,323/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,910 | $49,410 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | Houston-The Woodlands, TX |
Rent areas: Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fresno, CA and Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fresno | Houston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.7 | 104.5 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 100.6 |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 95.3 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 95.6 |
| Overall | 102.2 | 98.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fresno, CA → Houston, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
80 Strong offer
Houston, TX → Fresno, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.5%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
58 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fresno, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; Houston, TX is in Houston-The Woodlands, TX. The last column shows what a transfer from Fresno, CA to Houston, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fresno, CA | Houston, TX | Real change, Fresno → Houston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $71,181 | +18.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $86,123 | +18.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $103,225 | +18.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $122,749 | +18.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $145,052 | +18.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fresno, CA | Houston, TX | Houston pay in Fresno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,800 | $64,500 | $66,808 (−15.2%) |
| Software Developers | $129,060 | $129,440 | $134,071 (+3.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,690 | $85,090 | $88,135 (+12.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | $99,830 | $103,402 (−17.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.