City comparison
Modesto, CA vs Raleigh, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Modesto, CA are 6.1% higher than in Raleigh, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Raleigh, NC would need about $106,100 in Modesto, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,596 a month in Raleigh, NC versus $1,356 in Modesto, CA. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Raleigh, NC and 22% in Modesto, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,589 a year higher in Modesto, CA than in Raleigh, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −16.5% moving from Modesto, CA to Raleigh, NC ($133,060 → $111,147), while prices change by −5.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −11.4% in real buying power.
- Modesto, CA: price level 104.1 (pricier)
- Raleigh, NC: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Modesto, CA | Raleigh, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.1 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,284 in Raleigh | $106,063 in Modesto |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,356/mo | $1,596/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,610 | $51,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Modesto, CA MSA and Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA. Metro areas: Modesto, CA and Raleigh-Cary, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Modesto | Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 108.5 | 103.5 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 152.3 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 104.1 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Modesto, CA → Raleigh, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.1%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$1,589/yr.
87 Strong offer
Raleigh, NC → Modesto, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.7%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,589/yr.
51 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Modesto, CA is in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA pay area; Raleigh, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Modesto, CA to Raleigh, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Modesto, CA | Raleigh, NC | Real change, Modesto → Raleigh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $64,453 | −11.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $77,983 | −11.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $93,468 | −11.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $111,147 | −11.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $131,342 | −11.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Modesto, CA | Raleigh, NC | Raleigh pay in Modesto dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $101,640 | $60,170 | $63,818 (−37.2%) |
| Software Developers | $119,770 | $132,770 | $140,819 (+17.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,560 | $81,950 | $86,918 (+4.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $132,590 | $84,830 | $89,973 (−32.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.