City comparison
Stockton, CA vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Stockton, CA are 8.5% higher than in Tucson, AZ. Someone earning $100,000 in Tucson, AZ would need about $108,500 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 $1,081 in Tucson, AZ. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Stockton, CA and 17% in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,779 a year higher in Stockton, CA than in Tucson, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −18.5% moving from Stockton, CA to Tucson, AZ ($133,060 → $108,455), while prices change by −7.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −11.6% in real buying power.
- Stockton, CA: price level 105.1 (pricier)
- Tucson, AZ: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Stockton, CA | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.1 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,204 in Tucson | $108,455 in Stockton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,395/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,990 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Stockton-Lodi, CA MSA and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Stockton-Lodi, CA and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Stockton | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 115.6 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 158.2 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 105.1 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Stockton, CA → Tucson, AZ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,779/yr.
95 Strong offer
Tucson, AZ → Stockton, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.8%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$2,779/yr.
44 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Stockton, CA is in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Stockton, CA to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Stockton, CA | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Stockton → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $62,893 | −11.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $76,095 | −11.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $91,205 | −11.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $108,455 | −11.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $128,162 | −11.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Stockton, CA | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Stockton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $97,400 | $47,220 | $51,213 (−47.4%) |
| Software Developers | $138,550 | $123,710 | $134,170 (−3.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,570 | $76,320 | $82,773 (−1.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $134,580 | $94,110 | $102,067 (−24.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.