City comparison
Minneapolis, MN vs Modesto, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Minneapolis, MN (104.8) and Modesto, CA (104.1, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Minneapolis, MN goes as far as $99,300 in Modesto, CA.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,405 a month in Minneapolis, MN and $1,356 in Modesto, CA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $5,277 a year in MN and $5,070 in CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +14.7% moving from Minneapolis, MN to Modesto, CA ($116,038 → $133,060), while prices change by −0.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +15.5% in real buying power.
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
- 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
| Minneapolis, MN | Modesto, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.8 | 104.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,319 in Modesto | $100,686 in Minneapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,405/mo | $1,356/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,903 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,277 (MN) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,320 | $50,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Modesto, CA MSA. Metro areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI and Modesto, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Minneapolis | Modesto |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.8 | 108.5 |
| Goods | 103.1 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 93.5 | 152.3 |
| Other services | 104.4 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 104.8 | 104.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Minneapolis, MN → Modesto, CA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.7%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$206/yr.
71 Strong offer
Modesto, CA → Minneapolis, MN
Roughly even
Buying power −0.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$206/yr.
67 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Minneapolis, MN is in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI pay area; Modesto, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Minneapolis, MN to Modesto, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Minneapolis, MN | Modesto, CA | Real change, Minneapolis → Modesto |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $67,290 | $77,161 | +15.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $81,415 | $93,358 | +15.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $97,582 | $111,896 | +15.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $116,038 | $133,060 | +15.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $137,123 | $157,236 | +15.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Minneapolis, MN | Modesto, CA | Modesto pay in Minneapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,730 | $101,640 | $102,337 (+28.4%) |
| Software Developers | $130,920 | $119,770 | $120,591 (−7.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $86,500 | $83,560 | $84,133 (−2.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,040 | $132,590 | $133,499 (+29.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.