City comparison
Richmond, VA vs Sacramento, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Sacramento, CA are 9.0% higher than in Richmond, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Richmond, VA would need about $109,000 in Sacramento, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,832 a month in Sacramento, CA versus $1,507 in Richmond, VA. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Sacramento, CA and 24% in Richmond, VA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,936 a year in VA and $5,070 in CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.1% moving from Richmond, VA to Sacramento, CA ($111,183 → $117,984), while prices change by +9.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.6% in real buying power.
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
- Sacramento, CA: price level 106.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Richmond, VA | Sacramento, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.9 | 106.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,005 in Sacramento | $91,739 in Richmond |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $1,832/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,244 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,936 (VA) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,460 | $59,750 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Richmond, VA | Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV |
Rent areas: Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area and Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Richmond, VA and Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Richmond | Sacramento |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.1 | 130.2 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 151.3 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 97.9 | 106.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Richmond, VA → Sacramento, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.3%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax +$135/yr.
36 Weak offer
Sacramento, CA → Richmond, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$135/yr.
97 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Richmond, VA is in the Richmond, VA pay area; Sacramento, CA is in Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Richmond, VA to Sacramento, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Richmond, VA | Sacramento, CA | Real change, Richmond → Sacramento |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,475 | $68,419 | −2.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,009 | $82,780 | −2.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,499 | $99,218 | −2.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,183 | $117,984 | −2.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,385 | $139,422 | −2.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Richmond, VA | Sacramento, CA | Sacramento pay in Richmond dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,290 | $103,390 | $94,849 (+54.8%) |
| Software Developers | $132,120 | $139,640 | $128,104 (−3.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,220 | $92,110 | $84,501 (+0.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $93,580 | $171,460 | $157,296 (+68.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.