City comparison
St. Louis, MO vs Visalia, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Visalia, CA are 5.0% higher than in St. Louis, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in St. Louis, MO would need about $105,000 in Visalia, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,123 a month in Visalia, CA versus $995 in St. Louis, MO. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Visalia, CA and 16% in St. Louis, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,308 a year higher in Visalia, CA than in St. Louis, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.0% moving from St. Louis, MO to Visalia, CA ($109,137 → $106,973), while prices change by +5.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.6% in real buying power.
- St. Louis, MO: price level 95.1 (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
| St. Louis, MO | Visalia, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.1 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,982 in Visalia | $95,255 in St. Louis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $995/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,417 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,763 (MO) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $45,130 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA |
Rent areas: St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area and Visalia, CA MSA. Metro areas: St. Louis, MO-IL and Visalia, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | St. Louis | Visalia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.0 | 84.1 |
| Goods | 100.0 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 69.9 | 156.4 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 95.1 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
St. Louis, MO → Visalia, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,308/yr.
54 Fair offer
Visalia, CA → St. Louis, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,308/yr.
84 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
St. Louis, MO is in the St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL pay area; Visalia, CA is in Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from St. Louis, MO to Visalia, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | St. Louis, MO | Visalia, CA | Real change, St. Louis → Visalia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,288 | $62,033 | −6.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,573 | $75,055 | −6.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,779 | $89,959 | −6.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,137 | $106,973 | −6.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,967 | $126,410 | −6.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | St. Louis, MO | Visalia, CA | Visalia pay in St. Louis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,650 | $98,430 | $93,759 (+54.6%) |
| Software Developers | $129,030 | $126,170 | $120,183 (−6.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,880 | $79,400 | $75,632 (−4.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,180 | $125,180 | $119,240 (+43.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.