City comparison
Fresno, CA vs Scranton, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fresno, CA are 9.2% higher than in Scranton, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Scranton, PA would need about $109,200 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 $1,028 in Scranton, PA. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Fresno, CA and 16% in Scranton, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,000 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Scranton, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.5% moving from Fresno, CA to Scranton, PA ($106,973 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.6% in real buying power.
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
- Scranton, PA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fresno, CA | Scranton, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.2 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,580 in Scranton | $109,194 in Fresno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,355/mo | $1,028/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% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,910 | $46,330 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA. Metro areas: Fresno, CA and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fresno | Scranton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.7 | 67.0 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 106.5 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 102.2 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fresno, CA → Scranton, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,000/yr.
97 Strong offer
Scranton, PA → Fresno, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.4%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$2,000/yr.
42 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fresno, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; Scranton, PA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Fresno, CA to Scranton, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fresno, CA | Scranton, PA | Real change, Fresno → Scranton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $61,722 | +8.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $74,678 | +8.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $89,508 | +8.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $106,437 | +8.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $125,776 | +8.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fresno, CA | Scranton, PA | Scranton pay in Fresno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,800 | $76,590 | $83,632 (+6.1%) |
| Software Developers | $129,060 | $119,960 | $130,990 (+1.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,690 | $70,480 | $76,960 (−2.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | $82,650 | $90,249 (−28.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.