City comparison
Memphis, TN vs Visalia, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Visalia, CA are 8.3% higher than in Memphis, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Memphis, TN would need about $108,300 in Visalia, CA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,154 a month in Memphis, TN and $1,123 in Visalia, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Visalia, CA than in Memphis, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.5% moving from Memphis, TN to Visalia, CA ($106,437 → $106,973), while prices change by +8.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.2% in real buying power.
- Memphis, TN: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
- Visalia, CA: price level 99.8 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Memphis, TN | Visalia, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.2 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,295 in Visalia | $92,341 in Memphis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,154/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,890 | $45,130 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA |
Rent areas: Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area and Visalia, CA MSA. Metro areas: Memphis, TN-MS-AR and Visalia, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Memphis | Visalia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.8 | 84.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 74.1 | 156.4 |
| Other services | 95.4 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 92.2 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Memphis, TN → Visalia, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
45 Weak offer
Visalia, CA → Memphis, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
95 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Memphis, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Visalia, CA is in Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Memphis, TN to Visalia, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Memphis, TN | Visalia, CA | Real change, Memphis → Visalia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,033 | −7.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,055 | −7.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,959 | −7.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,973 | −7.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,410 | −7.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Memphis, TN | Visalia, CA | Visalia pay in Memphis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,510 | $98,430 | $90,891 (+47.8%) |
| Software Developers | $125,580 | $126,170 | $116,506 (−7.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,960 | $79,400 | $73,318 (−4.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,500 | $125,180 | $115,592 (+41.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.