City comparison
Fresno, CA vs Reading, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fresno, CA are 5.3% higher than in Reading, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Reading, PA would need about $105,300 in Fresno, CA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,355 a month in Fresno, CA versus $1,237 in Reading, PA. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Fresno, CA and 20% in Reading, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,000 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Reading, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.6% moving from Fresno, CA to Reading, PA ($106,973 → $117,284), while prices change by −5.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +15.4% in real buying power.
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
- Reading, PA: price level 97.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fresno, CA | Reading, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.2 | 97.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,010 in Reading | $105,252 in Fresno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,355/mo | $1,237/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% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,910 | $49,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Reading, PA MSA. Metro areas: Fresno, CA and Reading, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fresno | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.7 | 85.4 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 108.2 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 102.2 | 97.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fresno, CA → Reading, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$2,000/yr.
85 Strong offer
Reading, PA → Fresno, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$2,000/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fresno, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; Reading, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Fresno, CA to Reading, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fresno, CA | Reading, PA | Real change, Fresno → Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $68,013 | +15.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $82,289 | +15.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $98,630 | +15.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $117,284 | +15.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $138,595 | +15.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fresno, CA | Reading, PA | Reading pay in Fresno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,800 | $79,860 | $84,055 (+6.7%) |
| Software Developers | $129,060 | $120,920 | $127,271 (−1.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,690 | $75,550 | $79,518 (+1.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | $98,470 | $103,642 (−17.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.