City comparison
Fresno, CA vs Riverside, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Riverside, CA are 4.2% higher than in Fresno, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in Fresno, CA would need about $104,200 in Riverside, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,777 a month in Riverside, CA versus $1,355 in Fresno, CA. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Riverside, CA and 22% in Fresno, CA.
- Both are in CA, so estimated state income tax is the same: $5,070 a year on $100,000.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +16.0% moving from Fresno, CA to Riverside, CA ($106,973 → $124,085), while prices change by +4.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.3% in real buying power.
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
- Riverside, CA: price level 106.4 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fresno, CA | Riverside, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.2 | 106.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,194 in Riverside | $95,975 in Fresno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,355/mo | $1,777/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 29% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,910 | $48,400 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA MSA. Metro areas: Fresno, CA and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fresno | Riverside |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.7 | 129.3 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 101.4 |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 148.6 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 101.3 |
| Overall | 102.2 | 106.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fresno, CA → Riverside, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.0%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
51 Fair offer
Riverside, CA → Fresno, CA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
82 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fresno, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; Riverside, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Fresno, CA to Riverside, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fresno, CA | Riverside, CA | Real change, Fresno → Riverside |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $71,957 | +11.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $87,061 | +11.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $104,349 | +11.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $124,085 | +11.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $146,632 | +11.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fresno, CA | Riverside, CA | Riverside pay in Fresno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,800 | $98,520 | $94,555 (+20.0%) |
| Software Developers | $129,060 | $133,270 | $127,906 (−0.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,690 | $83,920 | $80,542 (+2.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | $133,940 | $128,549 (+2.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.