City comparison
Riverside, CA vs Sacramento, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Riverside, CA (106.4) and Sacramento, CA (106.7, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Riverside, CA goes as far as $100,200 in Sacramento, CA.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,777 a month in Riverside, CA and $1,832 in Sacramento, CA.
- Both are in CA, so estimated state income tax is the same: $5,070 a year on $100,000.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.9% moving from Riverside, CA to Sacramento, CA ($124,085 → $117,984), while prices change by +0.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.1% in real buying power.
- Riverside, CA: price level 106.4 (pricier)
- 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
| Riverside, CA | Sacramento, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 106.4 | 106.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,214 in Sacramento | $99,786 in Riverside |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,777/mo | $1,832/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,400 | $59,750 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV |
Rent areas: Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA MSA and Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA and Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Riverside | Sacramento |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 129.3 | 130.2 |
| Goods | 101.4 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 148.6 | 151.3 |
| Other services | 101.3 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 106.4 | 106.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Riverside, CA → Sacramento, CA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.2%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
61 Fair offer
Sacramento, CA → Riverside, CA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.2%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
64 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Riverside, CA is in the Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA pay area; Sacramento, CA is in Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Riverside, CA to Sacramento, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Riverside, CA | Sacramento, CA | Real change, Riverside → Sacramento |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,957 | $68,419 | −5.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $87,061 | $82,780 | −5.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $104,349 | $99,218 | −5.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $124,085 | $117,984 | −5.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $146,632 | $139,422 | −5.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Riverside, CA | Sacramento, CA | Sacramento pay in Riverside dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,520 | $103,390 | $103,169 (+4.7%) |
| Software Developers | $133,270 | $139,640 | $139,342 (+4.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,920 | $92,110 | $91,913 (+9.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $133,940 | $171,460 | $171,094 (+27.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.