City comparison
Fresno, CA vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fresno, CA are 5.4% higher than in Tucson, AZ. Someone earning $100,000 in Tucson, AZ would need about $105,400 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 $1,081 in Tucson, AZ. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Fresno, CA and 17% in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,779 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Tucson, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.4% moving from Fresno, CA to Tucson, AZ ($106,973 → $108,455), while prices change by −5.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.9% in real buying power.
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
- Tucson, AZ: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fresno, CA | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.2 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,849 in Tucson | $105,431 in Fresno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,355/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,910 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Fresno, CA and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fresno | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.7 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 102.2 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fresno, CA → Tucson, AZ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,779/yr.
86 Strong offer
Tucson, AZ → Fresno, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$2,779/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fresno, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Fresno, CA to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fresno, CA | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Fresno → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $62,893 | +6.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $76,095 | +6.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $91,205 | +6.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $108,455 | +6.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $128,162 | +6.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fresno, CA | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Fresno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,800 | $47,220 | $49,784 (−36.8%) |
| Software Developers | $129,060 | $123,710 | $130,428 (+1.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,690 | $76,320 | $80,465 (+2.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | $94,110 | $99,221 (−20.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.