City comparison
Philadelphia, PA vs Visalia, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 2.7% higher than in Visalia, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in Visalia, CA would need about $102,700 in Philadelphia, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,520 a month in Philadelphia, PA versus $1,123 in Visalia, CA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA and 18% in Visalia, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,000 a year higher in Visalia, CA than in Philadelphia, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.8% moving from Philadelphia, PA to Visalia, CA ($117,284 → $106,973), while prices change by −2.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.3% in real buying power.
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (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
| Philadelphia, PA | Visalia, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.6 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,339 in Visalia | $102,734 in Philadelphia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,520/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,310 | $45,130 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA |
Rent areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA and Visalia, CA MSA. Metro areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD and Visalia, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Philadelphia | Visalia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 113.1 | 84.1 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 114.4 | 156.4 |
| Other services | 103.1 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 102.6 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Philadelphia, PA → Visalia, CA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$2,000/yr.
77 Strong offer
Visalia, CA → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$2,000/yr.
60 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Philadelphia, PA is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Visalia, CA is in Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Philadelphia, PA to Visalia, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Philadelphia, PA | Visalia, CA | Real change, Philadelphia → Visalia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $62,033 | −6.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $75,055 | −6.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $89,959 | −6.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $106,973 | −6.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $126,410 | −6.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Philadelphia, PA | Visalia, CA | Visalia pay in Philadelphia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,570 | $98,430 | $101,121 (+28.7%) |
| Software Developers | $133,040 | $126,170 | $129,619 (−2.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,990 | $79,400 | $81,571 (−5.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,180 | $125,180 | $128,602 (+27.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.