City comparison
Modesto, CA vs Montgomery, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Modesto, CA are 16.1% higher than in Montgomery, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Montgomery, AL would need about $116,100 in Modesto, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,356 a month in Modesto, CA versus $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Modesto, CA and 14% in Montgomery, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $335 a year higher in Modesto, CA than in Montgomery, AL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −20.0% moving from Modesto, CA to Montgomery, AL ($133,060 → $106,437), while prices change by −13.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.1% in real buying power.
- Modesto, CA: price level 104.1 (pricier)
- Montgomery, AL: price level 89.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Modesto, CA | Montgomery, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.1 | 89.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $86,143 in Montgomery | $116,086 in Modesto |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,356/mo | $870/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,610 | $44,950 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Modesto, CA MSA and Montgomery, AL MSA. Metro areas: Modesto, CA and Montgomery, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Modesto | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 108.5 | 64.3 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 152.3 | 84.9 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 104.1 | 89.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Modesto, CA → Montgomery, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +16.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$335/yr.
100 Strong offer
Montgomery, AL → Modesto, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$335/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Modesto, CA is in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA pay area; Montgomery, AL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Modesto, CA to Montgomery, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Modesto, CA | Montgomery, AL | Real change, Modesto → Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $61,722 | −7.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $74,678 | −7.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $89,508 | −7.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $106,437 | −7.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $125,776 | −7.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Modesto, CA | Montgomery, AL | Montgomery pay in Modesto dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $101,640 | $59,610 | $69,199 (−31.9%) |
| Software Developers | $119,770 | $110,620 | $128,414 (+7.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,560 | $75,040 | $87,111 (+4.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $132,590 | $79,570 | $92,369 (−30.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.