City comparison
South Bend, IN vs Visalia, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Visalia, CA are 7.5% higher than in South Bend, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in South Bend, IN would need about $107,500 in Visalia, CA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,105 a month in South Bend, IN and $1,123 in Visalia, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,150 a year higher in Visalia, CA than in South Bend, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.5% moving from South Bend, IN to Visalia, CA ($106,437 → $106,973), while prices change by +7.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.5% in real buying power.
- South Bend, IN: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
- Visalia, CA: price level 99.8 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| South Bend, IN | Visalia, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,503 in Visalia | $93,021 in South Bend |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,105/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,540 | $45,130 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA |
Rent areas: South Bend-Mishawaka, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Visalia, CA MSA. Metro areas: South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI and Visalia, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | South Bend | Visalia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.6 | 84.1 |
| Goods | 94.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 87.7 | 156.4 |
| Other services | 99.2 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
South Bend, IN → Visalia, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$2,150/yr.
47 Fair offer
Visalia, CA → South Bend, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,150/yr.
92 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
South Bend, IN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Visalia, CA is in Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from South Bend, IN to Visalia, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | South Bend, IN | Visalia, CA | Real change, South Bend → Visalia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,033 | −6.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,055 | −6.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,959 | −6.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,973 | −6.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,410 | −6.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | South Bend, IN | Visalia, CA | Visalia pay in South Bend dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,180 | $98,430 | $91,560 (+57.4%) |
| Software Developers | $95,500 | $126,170 | $117,364 (+22.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,940 | $79,400 | $73,859 (−5.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $93,540 | $125,180 | $116,443 (+24.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.