City comparison
Fresno, CA vs Provo, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fresno, CA are 4.0% higher than in Provo, UT. Someone earning $100,000 in Provo, UT would need about $104,000 in Fresno, CA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,355 a month in Fresno, CA versus $1,265 in Provo, UT. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Fresno, CA and 20% in Provo, UT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,536 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Provo, UT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.5% moving from Fresno, CA to Provo, UT ($106,973 → $106,437), while prices change by −3.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.5% in real buying power.
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fresno, CA | Provo, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.2 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,157 in Provo | $103,997 in Fresno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,355/mo | $1,265/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,910 | $48,010 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA. Metro areas: Fresno, CA and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fresno | Provo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.7 | 104.1 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 78.6 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 102.2 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fresno, CA → Provo, UT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.0%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,536/yr.
81 Strong offer
Provo, UT → Fresno, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.8%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,536/yr.
57 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fresno, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; Provo, UT is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Fresno, CA to Provo, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fresno, CA | Provo, UT | Real change, Fresno → Provo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $61,722 | +3.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $74,678 | +3.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $89,508 | +3.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $106,437 | +3.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $125,776 | +3.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fresno, CA | Provo, UT | Provo pay in Fresno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,800 | $62,930 | $65,445 (−16.9%) |
| Software Developers | $129,060 | $131,210 | $136,454 (+5.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,690 | $75,700 | $78,725 (+0.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | $81,780 | $85,048 (−32.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.