City comparison
Fresno, CA vs St. Louis, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fresno, CA are 7.4% higher than in St. Louis, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in St. Louis, MO would need about $107,400 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 $995 in St. Louis, MO. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Fresno, CA and 16% in St. Louis, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,308 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in St. Louis, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.0% moving from Fresno, CA to St. Louis, MO ($106,973 → $109,137), while prices change by −6.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.6% in real buying power.
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
- St. Louis, MO: price level 95.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fresno, CA | St. Louis, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.2 | 95.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,079 in St. Louis | $107,435 in Fresno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,355/mo | $995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,910 | $49,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL |
Rent areas: Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fresno, CA and St. Louis, MO-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fresno | St. Louis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.7 | 79.0 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 100.0 |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 69.9 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 102.2 | 95.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fresno, CA → St. Louis, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.4%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,308/yr.
92 Strong offer
St. Louis, MO → Fresno, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,308/yr.
47 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fresno, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; St. Louis, MO is in St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL. The last column shows what a transfer from Fresno, CA to St. Louis, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fresno, CA | St. Louis, MO | Real change, Fresno → St. Louis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $63,288 | +9.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $76,573 | +9.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $91,779 | +9.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $109,137 | +9.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $128,967 | +9.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fresno, CA | St. Louis, MO | St. Louis pay in Fresno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,800 | $60,650 | $65,159 (−17.3%) |
| Software Developers | $129,060 | $129,030 | $138,624 (+7.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,690 | $78,880 | $84,745 (+7.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | $83,180 | $89,365 (−28.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.