City comparison
New York, NY vs Visalia, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in New York, NY are 12.8% higher than in Visalia, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in Visalia, CA would need about $112,800 in New York, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,655 a month in New York, NY versus $1,123 in Visalia, CA. On $100,000, that's 43% of take-home pay in New York, NY and 18% in Visalia, CA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,860 a year in NY and $5,070 in CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −14.7% moving from New York, NY to Visalia, CA ($125,431 → $106,973), while prices change by −11.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.8% in real buying power.
- New York, NY: price level 112.6 (much pricier)
- Visalia, CA: price level 99.8 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| New York, NY | Visalia, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 112.6 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,684 in Visalia | $112,760 in New York |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,655/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 43% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $61,430 | $45,130 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA |
Rent areas: New York, NY HUD Metro FMR Area and Visalia, CA MSA. Metro areas: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ and Visalia, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | New York | Visalia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.6 | 84.1 |
| Goods | 110.3 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 127.0 | 156.4 |
| Other services | 105.8 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 112.6 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
New York, NY → Visalia, CA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$211/yr.
100 Strong offer
Visalia, CA → New York, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.3%; rent takes 43% of take-home; state tax −$211/yr.
11 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
New York, NY is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Visalia, CA is in Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from New York, NY to Visalia, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | New York, NY | Visalia, CA | Real change, New York → Visalia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $62,033 | −3.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $75,055 | −3.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $89,959 | −3.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $106,973 | −3.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $126,410 | −3.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | New York, NY | Visalia, CA | Visalia pay in New York dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $96,900 | $98,430 | $110,990 (+14.5%) |
| Software Developers | $166,830 | $126,170 | $142,270 (−14.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $105,650 | $79,400 | $89,532 (−15.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $119,720 | $125,180 | $141,153 (+17.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.