City comparison
Provo, UT vs Stockton, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Stockton, CA are 7.0% higher than in Provo, UT. Someone earning $100,000 in Provo, UT would need about $107,000 in Stockton, CA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,395 a month in Stockton, CA versus $1,265 in Provo, UT. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Stockton, CA and 20% in Provo, UT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,536 a year higher in Stockton, CA than in Provo, UT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +25.0% moving from Provo, UT to Stockton, CA ($106,437 → $133,060), while prices change by +7.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +16.9% in real buying power.
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (about average)
- 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
| Provo, UT | Stockton, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.2 | 105.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,980 in Stockton | $93,475 in Provo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,265/mo | $1,395/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,646 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,534 (UT) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,010 | $48,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA and Stockton-Lodi, CA MSA. Metro areas: Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT and Stockton-Lodi, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Provo | Stockton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.1 | 115.6 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 78.6 | 158.2 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 98.2 | 105.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Provo, UT → Stockton, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.5%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,536/yr.
48 Fair offer
Stockton, CA → Provo, UT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.0%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,536/yr.
91 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Provo, UT is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Stockton, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Provo, UT to Stockton, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Provo, UT | Stockton, CA | Real change, Provo → Stockton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $77,161 | +16.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $93,358 | +16.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $111,896 | +16.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $133,060 | +16.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $157,236 | +16.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Provo, UT | Stockton, CA | Stockton pay in Provo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,930 | $97,400 | $91,045 (+44.7%) |
| Software Developers | $131,210 | $138,550 | $129,510 (−1.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,700 | $83,570 | $78,117 (+3.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,780 | $134,580 | $125,799 (+53.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.