City comparison
Spartanburg, SC vs Stockton, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Stockton, CA are 15.4% higher than in Spartanburg, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Spartanburg, SC would need about $115,400 in Stockton, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,395 a month in Stockton, CA versus $1,083 in Spartanburg, SC. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Stockton, CA and 17% in Spartanburg, SC.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,843 a year in SC and $5,070 in CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +25.0% moving from Spartanburg, SC to Stockton, CA ($106,437 → $133,060), while prices change by +15.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.3% in real buying power.
- Spartanburg, SC: price level 91.1 (much 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
| Spartanburg, SC | Stockton, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.1 | 105.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $115,418 in Stockton | $86,642 in Spartanburg |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,083/mo | $1,395/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,650 | $48,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Spartanburg, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Stockton-Lodi, CA MSA. Metro areas: Spartanburg, SC and Stockton-Lodi, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Spartanburg | Stockton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.0 | 115.6 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 158.2 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 91.1 | 105.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Spartanburg, SC → Stockton, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.4%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$228/yr.
38 Weak offer
Stockton, CA → Spartanburg, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$228/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Spartanburg, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Stockton, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Spartanburg, SC to Stockton, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Spartanburg, SC | Stockton, CA | Real change, Spartanburg → Stockton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $77,161 | +8.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $93,358 | +8.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $111,896 | +8.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $133,060 | +8.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $157,236 | +8.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Spartanburg, SC | Stockton, CA | Stockton pay in Spartanburg dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,990 | $97,400 | $84,389 (+38.4%) |
| Software Developers | $114,460 | $138,550 | $120,042 (+4.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,080 | $83,570 | $72,407 (−6.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,360 | $134,580 | $116,603 (+41.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.