City comparison
Fresno, CA vs Montgomery, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fresno, CA are 13.9% higher than in Montgomery, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Montgomery, AL would need about $113,900 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 $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Fresno, CA and 14% in Montgomery, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $335 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Montgomery, AL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.5% moving from Fresno, CA to Montgomery, AL ($106,973 → $106,437), while prices change by −12.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +13.3% in real buying power.
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
- Montgomery, AL: price level 89.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fresno, CA | Montgomery, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.2 | 89.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,788 in Montgomery | $113,911 in Fresno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,355/mo | $870/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,910 | $44,950 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Montgomery, AL MSA. Metro areas: Fresno, CA and Montgomery, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fresno | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.7 | 64.3 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 84.9 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 102.2 | 89.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fresno, CA → Montgomery, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.9%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$335/yr.
100 Strong offer
Montgomery, AL → Fresno, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$335/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fresno, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; Montgomery, AL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Fresno, CA to Montgomery, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fresno, CA | Montgomery, AL | Real change, Fresno → Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $61,722 | +13.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $74,678 | +13.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $89,508 | +13.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $106,437 | +13.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $125,776 | +13.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fresno, CA | Montgomery, AL | Montgomery pay in Fresno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,800 | $59,610 | $67,903 (−13.8%) |
| Software Developers | $129,060 | $110,620 | $126,009 (−2.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,690 | $75,040 | $85,479 (+8.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | $79,570 | $90,639 (−27.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.