City comparison
Reno, NV vs Stockton, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Stockton, CA are 4.0% higher than in Reno, NV. Someone earning $100,000 in Reno, NV would need about $104,000 in Stockton, CA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,489 a month in Reno, NV versus $1,395 in Stockton, CA. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Reno, NV and 23% in Stockton, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Stockton, CA than in Reno, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +24.5% moving from Reno, NV to Stockton, CA ($106,855 → $133,060), while prices change by +4.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +19.7% in real buying power.
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (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
| Reno, NV | Stockton, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 105.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,034 in Stockton | $96,122 in Reno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,489/mo | $1,395/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NV) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $48,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Reno-Fernley, NV | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area and Stockton-Lodi, CA MSA. Metro areas: Reno, NV and Stockton-Lodi, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Reno | Stockton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 123.5 | 115.6 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 158.2 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 105.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Reno, NV → Stockton, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
57 Fair offer
Stockton, CA → Reno, NV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.0%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
81 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Reno, NV is in the Reno-Fernley, NV pay area; Stockton, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Reno, NV to Stockton, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Reno, NV | Stockton, CA | Real change, Reno → Stockton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,965 | $77,161 | +19.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,972 | $93,358 | +19.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,859 | $111,896 | +19.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,855 | $133,060 | +19.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,271 | $157,236 | +19.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Reno, NV | Stockton, CA | Stockton pay in Reno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,430 | $97,400 | $93,623 (+50.0%) |
| Software Developers | $125,710 | $138,550 | $133,177 (+5.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,370 | $83,570 | $80,329 (−2.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,520 | $134,580 | $129,361 (+20.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.