City comparison
Richmond, VA vs Stockton, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Stockton, CA are 7.4% higher than in Richmond, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Richmond, VA would need about $107,400 in Stockton, CA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Richmond, VA versus $1,395 in Stockton, CA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Richmond, VA and 23% in Stockton, CA.
- 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 +19.7% moving from Richmond, VA to Stockton, CA ($111,183 → $133,060), while prices change by +7.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.4% in real buying power.
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
- 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
| Richmond, VA | Stockton, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.9 | 105.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,389 in Stockton | $93,119 in Richmond |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $1,395/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% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,460 | $48,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Richmond, VA | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area and Stockton-Lodi, CA MSA. Metro areas: Richmond, VA and Stockton-Lodi, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Richmond | Stockton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.1 | 115.6 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 158.2 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 97.9 | 105.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Richmond, VA → Stockton, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$135/yr.
47 Fair offer
Stockton, CA → Richmond, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$135/yr.
92 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Richmond, VA is in the Richmond, VA pay area; Stockton, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Richmond, VA to Stockton, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Richmond, VA | Stockton, CA | Real change, Richmond → Stockton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,475 | $77,161 | +11.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,009 | $93,358 | +11.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,499 | $111,896 | +11.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,183 | $133,060 | +11.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,385 | $157,236 | +11.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Richmond, VA | Stockton, CA | Stockton pay in Richmond dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,290 | $97,400 | $90,698 (+48.0%) |
| Software Developers | $132,120 | $138,550 | $129,017 (−2.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,220 | $83,570 | $77,820 (−7.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $93,580 | $134,580 | $125,320 (+33.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.