City comparison
Omaha, NE vs Stockton, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Stockton, CA are 14.3% higher than in Omaha, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Omaha, NE would need about $114,300 in Stockton, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,395 a month in Stockton, CA versus $1,148 in Omaha, NE. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Stockton, CA and 18% in Omaha, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,400 a year higher in Stockton, CA than in Omaha, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +23.8% moving from Omaha, NE to Stockton, CA ($107,501 → $133,060), while prices change by +14.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.3% in real buying power.
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Omaha, NE | Stockton, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.9 | 105.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $114,338 in Stockton | $87,460 in Omaha |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,148/mo | $1,395/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $48,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area and Stockton-Lodi, CA MSA. Metro areas: Omaha, NE-IA and Stockton-Lodi, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Omaha | Stockton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.4 | 115.6 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 76.4 | 158.2 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 91.9 | 105.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Omaha, NE → Stockton, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.5%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,400/yr.
38 Weak offer
Stockton, CA → Omaha, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,400/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Omaha, NE is in the Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA pay area; Stockton, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Omaha, NE to Stockton, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Omaha, NE | Stockton, CA | Real change, Omaha → Stockton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,339 | $77,161 | +8.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,425 | $93,358 | +8.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,402 | $111,896 | +8.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,501 | $133,060 | +8.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,033 | $157,236 | +8.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Omaha, NE | Stockton, CA | Stockton pay in Omaha dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,670 | $97,400 | $85,186 (+35.9%) |
| Software Developers | $125,220 | $138,550 | $121,176 (−3.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,030 | $83,570 | $73,090 (−5.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,600 | $134,580 | $117,704 (+39.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.