City comparison
Modesto, CA vs Stockton, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Modesto, CA (104.1) and Stockton, CA (105.1, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Modesto, CA goes as far as $100,900 in Stockton, CA.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,356 a month in Modesto, CA and $1,395 in Stockton, CA.
- Both are in CA, so estimated state income tax is the same: $5,070 a year on $100,000.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $133,060 in either. A transfer from Modesto, CA to Stockton, CA changes real buying power by −0.9%, purely from prices.
- Modesto, CA: price level 104.1 (pricier)
- Stockton, CA: price level 105.1 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Modesto, CA | Stockton, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.1 | 105.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,942 in Stockton | $99,067 in Modesto |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,356/mo | $1,395/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,610 | $48,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Modesto, CA MSA and Stockton-Lodi, CA MSA. Metro areas: Modesto, CA and Stockton-Lodi, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Modesto | Stockton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 108.5 | 115.6 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 152.3 | 158.2 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 104.1 | 105.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Modesto, CA → Stockton, CA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
66 Fair offer
Stockton, CA → Modesto, CA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
72 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Modesto, CA to Stockton, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Modesto, CA | Stockton, CA | Real change, Modesto → Stockton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $77,161 | −0.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $93,358 | −0.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $111,896 | −0.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $133,060 | −0.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $157,236 | −0.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Modesto, CA | Stockton, CA | Stockton pay in Modesto dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $101,640 | $97,400 | $96,491 (−5.1%) |
| Software Developers | $119,770 | $138,550 | $137,257 (+14.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,560 | $83,570 | $82,790 (−0.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $132,590 | $134,580 | $133,324 (+0.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.