City comparison
Greeley, CO vs Merced, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Greeley, CO are 1.9% higher than in Merced, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in Merced, CA would need about $101,900 in Greeley, CO to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,238 a month in Greeley, CO and $1,213 in Merced, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,379 a year higher in Merced, CA than in Greeley, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.1% moving from Greeley, CO to Merced, CA ($118,675 → $133,060), while prices change by −1.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +14.3% in real buying power.
- Greeley, CO: price level 100.2 (about average)
- Merced, CA: price level 98.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Greeley, CO | Merced, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.2 | 98.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,102 in Merced | $101,934 in Greeley |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,238/mo | $1,213/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,070 | $47,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Greeley, CO MSA and Merced, CA MSA. Metro areas: Greeley, CO and Merced, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greeley | Merced |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 112.6 | 78.6 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 82.0 | 158.3 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 100.2 | 98.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greeley, CO → Merced, CA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.9%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,379/yr.
75 Strong offer
Merced, CA → Greeley, CO
Roughly even
Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,379/yr.
63 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Greeley, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Merced, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Greeley, CO to Merced, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greeley, CO | Merced, CA | Real change, Greeley → Merced |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $77,161 | +14.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $93,358 | +14.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $111,896 | +14.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $133,060 | +14.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $157,236 | +14.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greeley, CO | Merced, CA | Merced pay in Greeley dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,160 | $100,120 | $102,057 (+69.6%) |
| Software Developers | $129,480 | $132,120 | $134,676 (+4.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $87,240 | $80,420 | $81,976 (−6.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,300 | $131,620 | $134,166 (+39.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.