City comparison
Fresno, CA vs Pittsburgh, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fresno, CA are 7.9% higher than in Pittsburgh, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Pittsburgh, PA would need about $107,900 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 $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Fresno, CA and 17% in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,000 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Pittsburgh, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.9% moving from Fresno, CA to Pittsburgh, PA ($106,973 → $110,047), while prices change by −7.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.0% in real buying power.
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fresno, CA | Pittsburgh, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.2 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,671 in Pittsburgh | $107,908 in Fresno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,355/mo | $1,077/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,910 | $49,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV |
Rent areas: Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fresno, CA and Pittsburgh, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fresno | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.7 | 72.0 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 107.7 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 102.2 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fresno, CA → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,000/yr.
93 Strong offer
Pittsburgh, PA → Fresno, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$2,000/yr.
46 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fresno, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; Pittsburgh, PA is in Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV. The last column shows what a transfer from Fresno, CA to Pittsburgh, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fresno, CA | Pittsburgh, PA | Real change, Fresno → Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $63,815 | +11.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $77,211 | +11.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $92,543 | +11.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $110,047 | +11.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $130,042 | +11.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fresno, CA | Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh pay in Fresno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,800 | $76,550 | $82,604 (+4.8%) |
| Software Developers | $129,060 | $124,500 | $134,346 (+4.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,690 | $76,940 | $83,025 (+5.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | $82,370 | $88,884 (−29.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.