City comparison
Santa Maria, CA vs Stockton, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Santa Maria, CA are 3.5% higher than in Stockton, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in Stockton, CA would need about $103,500 in Santa Maria, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,746 a month in Santa Maria, CA versus $1,395 in Stockton, CA. On $100,000, that's 44% of take-home pay in Santa Maria, CA and 23% in Stockton, 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 +7.2% moving from Santa Maria, CA to Stockton, CA ($124,085 → $133,060), while prices change by −3.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.0% in real buying power.
- Santa Maria, CA: price level 108.8 (much pricier)
- 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
| Santa Maria, CA | Stockton, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.8 | 105.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,591 in Stockton | $103,529 in Santa Maria |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,746/mo | $1,395/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 | 44% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,690 | $48,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA MSA and Stockton-Lodi, CA MSA. Metro areas: Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA and Stockton-Lodi, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Santa Maria | Stockton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 151.4 | 115.6 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 149.8 | 158.2 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 108.8 | 105.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Santa Maria, CA → Stockton, CA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.5%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
80 Strong offer
Stockton, CA → Santa Maria, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.4%; rent takes 44% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
29 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Santa Maria, CA is in the Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA pay area; Stockton, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Santa Maria, CA to Stockton, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Santa Maria, CA | Stockton, CA | Real change, Santa Maria → Stockton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,957 | $77,161 | +11.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $87,061 | $93,358 | +11.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $104,349 | $111,896 | +11.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $124,085 | $133,060 | +11.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $146,632 | $157,236 | +11.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Santa Maria, CA | Stockton, CA | Stockton pay in Santa Maria dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $101,030 | $97,400 | $100,838 (−0.2%) |
| Software Developers | $158,290 | $138,550 | $143,440 (−9.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $91,610 | $83,570 | $86,520 (−5.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $137,360 | $134,580 | $139,330 (+1.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.