City comparison
Modesto, CA vs Utica, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Modesto, CA are 12.3% higher than in Utica, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Utica, NY would need about $112,300 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 $926 in Utica, NY. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Modesto, CA and 15% in Utica, NY.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $5,070 a year in CA and $4,860 in NY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −20.0% moving from Modesto, CA to Utica, NY ($133,060 → $106,437), while prices change by −11.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −10.1% in real buying power.
- Modesto, CA: price level 104.1 (pricier)
- Utica, NY: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Modesto, CA | Utica, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.1 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,021 in Utica | $112,333 in Modesto |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,356/mo | $926/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,610 | $48,970 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Modesto, CA MSA and Utica-Rome, NY MSA. Metro areas: Modesto, CA and Utica-Rome, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Modesto | Utica |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 108.5 | 66.1 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 152.3 | 131.9 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 104.1 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Modesto, CA → Utica, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$211/yr.
100 Strong offer
Utica, NY → Modesto, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$211/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Modesto, CA is in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA pay area; Utica, NY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Modesto, CA to Utica, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Modesto, CA | Utica, NY | Real change, Modesto → Utica |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $61,722 | −10.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $74,678 | −10.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $89,508 | −10.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $106,437 | −10.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $125,776 | −10.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Modesto, CA | Utica, NY | Utica pay in Modesto dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $101,640 | $77,010 | $86,508 (−14.9%) |
| Software Developers | $119,770 | $113,390 | $127,374 (+6.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,560 | $79,830 | $89,675 (+7.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $132,590 | $94,300 | $105,930 (−20.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.