City comparison
Fresno, CA vs Seattle, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Seattle, WA are 8.8% higher than in Fresno, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in Fresno, CA would need about $108,800 in Seattle, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,146 a month in Seattle, WA versus $1,355 in Fresno, CA. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Seattle, WA and 22% in Fresno, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Seattle, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.8% moving from Fresno, CA to Seattle, WA ($106,973 → $119,630), while prices change by +8.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.8% in real buying power.
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
- Seattle, WA: price level 111.1 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fresno, CA | Seattle, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.2 | 111.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,785 in Seattle | $91,924 in Fresno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,355/mo | $2,146/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,910 | $72,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Seattle-Bellevue, WA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fresno, CA and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fresno | Seattle |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.7 | 151.3 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 104.0 |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 92.8 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 106.8 |
| Overall | 102.2 | 111.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fresno, CA → Seattle, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.1%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
32 Weak offer
Seattle, WA → Fresno, CA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.8%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
96 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fresno, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; Seattle, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Fresno, CA to Seattle, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fresno, CA | Seattle, WA | Real change, Fresno → Seattle |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $69,373 | +2.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $83,935 | +2.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $100,602 | +2.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $119,630 | +2.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $141,367 | +2.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fresno, CA | Seattle, WA | Seattle pay in Fresno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,800 | $102,920 | $94,608 (+20.1%) |
| Software Developers | $129,060 | $167,280 | $153,771 (+19.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,690 | $99,370 | $91,345 (+16.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | $128,260 | $117,902 (−6.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.