City comparison
Oxnard, CA vs Raleigh, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Oxnard, CA are 12.6% higher than in Raleigh, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Raleigh, NC would need about $112,600 in Oxnard, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,250 a month in Oxnard, CA versus $1,596 in Raleigh, NC. On $100,000, that's 36% of take-home pay in Oxnard, CA and 25% in Raleigh, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,589 a year higher in Oxnard, CA than in Raleigh, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.4% moving from Oxnard, CA to Raleigh, NC ($124,085 → $111,147), while prices change by −11.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.9% in real buying power.
- Oxnard, CA: price level 110.5 (much 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
| Oxnard, CA | Raleigh, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 110.5 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,803 in Raleigh | $112,609 in Oxnard |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,250/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 | 36% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,510 | $51,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA MSA and Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA. Metro areas: Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA and Raleigh-Cary, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Oxnard | Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 171.1 | 103.5 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 152.9 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 110.5 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Oxnard, CA → Raleigh, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.6%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$1,589/yr.
100 Strong offer
Raleigh, NC → Oxnard, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.2%; rent takes 36% of take-home; state tax +$1,589/yr.
20 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Oxnard, CA is in the Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA pay area; Raleigh, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Oxnard, CA to Raleigh, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Oxnard, CA | Raleigh, NC | Real change, Oxnard → Raleigh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,957 | $64,453 | +0.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $87,061 | $77,983 | +0.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $104,349 | $93,468 | +0.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $124,085 | $111,147 | +0.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $146,632 | $131,342 | +0.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Oxnard, CA | Raleigh, NC | Raleigh pay in Oxnard dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $99,420 | $60,170 | $67,757 (−31.8%) |
| Software Developers | $159,430 | $132,770 | $149,511 (−6.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $90,340 | $81,950 | $92,283 (+2.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $131,160 | $84,830 | $95,527 (−27.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.