City comparison
Greenville, SC vs Modesto, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Modesto, CA are 11.6% higher than in Greenville, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Greenville, SC would need about $111,600 in Modesto, CA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,356 a month in Modesto, CA versus $1,221 in Greenville, SC. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Modesto, CA and 20% in Greenville, SC.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,843 a year in SC and $5,070 in CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +25.0% moving from Greenville, SC to Modesto, CA ($106,437 → $133,060), while prices change by +11.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +12.0% in real buying power.
- Greenville, SC: price level 93.3 (cheaper)
- Modesto, CA: price level 104.1 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Greenville, SC | Modesto, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.3 | 104.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,632 in Modesto | $89,580 in Greenville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,221/mo | $1,356/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,580 | $50,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Modesto, CA MSA. Metro areas: Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC and Modesto, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greenville | Modesto |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 108.5 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 88.8 | 152.3 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 93.3 | 104.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greenville, SC → Modesto, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.4%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$228/yr.
38 Weak offer
Modesto, CA → Greenville, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$228/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Greenville, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Modesto, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Greenville, SC to Modesto, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greenville, SC | Modesto, CA | Real change, Greenville → Modesto |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $77,161 | +12.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $93,358 | +12.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $111,896 | +12.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $133,060 | +12.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $157,236 | +12.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greenville, SC | Modesto, CA | Modesto pay in Greenville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,680 | $101,640 | $91,049 (+50.0%) |
| Software Developers | $121,790 | $119,770 | $107,290 (−11.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,870 | $83,560 | $74,853 (−2.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,400 | $132,590 | $118,774 (+45.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.