City comparison
Modesto, CA vs Peoria, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Modesto, CA are 14.1% higher than in Peoria, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Peoria, IL would need about $114,100 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 $818 in Peoria, IL. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Modesto, CA and 13% in Peoria, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $265 a year higher in Modesto, CA than in Peoria, IL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −20.0% moving from Modesto, CA to Peoria, IL ($133,060 → $106,437), while prices change by −12.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.7% in real buying power.
- Modesto, CA: price level 104.1 (pricier)
- Peoria, IL: price level 91.2 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Modesto, CA | Peoria, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.1 | 91.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,631 in Peoria | $114,115 in Modesto |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,356/mo | $818/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,610 | $49,590 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Modesto, CA MSA and Peoria, IL MSA. Metro areas: Modesto, CA and Peoria, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Modesto | Peoria |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 108.5 | 63.8 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 152.3 | 90.5 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 104.1 | 91.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Modesto, CA → Peoria, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.1%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$265/yr.
100 Strong offer
Peoria, IL → Modesto, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.4%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$265/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Modesto, CA is in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA pay area; Peoria, IL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Modesto, CA to Peoria, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Modesto, CA | Peoria, IL | Real change, Modesto → Peoria |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $61,722 | −8.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $74,678 | −8.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $89,508 | −8.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $106,437 | −8.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $125,776 | −8.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Modesto, CA | Peoria, IL | Peoria pay in Modesto dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $101,640 | $57,440 | $65,547 (−35.5%) |
| Software Developers | $119,770 | $130,590 | $149,022 (+24.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,560 | $79,540 | $90,767 (+8.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $132,590 | $81,010 | $92,444 (−30.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.