City comparison
Fresno, CA vs Memphis, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fresno, CA are 10.8% higher than in Memphis, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Memphis, TN would need about $110,800 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 $1,154 in Memphis, TN. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Fresno, CA and 17% in Memphis, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Memphis, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.5% moving from Fresno, CA to Memphis, TN ($106,973 → $106,437), while prices change by −9.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.3% in real buying power.
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
- Memphis, TN: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fresno, CA | Memphis, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.2 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,232 in Memphis | $110,826 in Fresno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,355/mo | $1,154/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,910 | $46,890 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fresno, CA and Memphis, TN-MS-AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fresno | Memphis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.7 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 95.4 |
| Overall | 102.2 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fresno, CA → Memphis, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
100 Strong offer
Memphis, TN → Fresno, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.8%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fresno, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; Memphis, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Fresno, CA to Memphis, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fresno, CA | Memphis, TN | Real change, Fresno → Memphis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $61,722 | +10.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $74,678 | +10.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $89,508 | +10.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $106,437 | +10.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $125,776 | +10.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fresno, CA | Memphis, TN | Memphis pay in Fresno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,800 | $61,510 | $68,169 (−13.5%) |
| Software Developers | $129,060 | $125,580 | $139,175 (+7.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,690 | $76,960 | $85,291 (+8.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | $81,500 | $90,323 (−28.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.