City comparison
Stockton, CA vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Stockton, CA are 18.1% higher than in Wichita, KS. Someone earning $100,000 in Wichita, KS would need about $118,100 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 $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Stockton, CA and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $290 a year higher in Stockton, CA than in Wichita, KS.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −20.0% moving from Stockton, CA to Wichita, KS ($133,060 → $106,437), while prices change by −15.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.5% in real buying power.
- Stockton, CA: price level 105.1 (pricier)
- Wichita, KS: price level 88.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Stockton, CA | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.1 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $84,639 in Wichita | $118,149 in Stockton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,395/mo | $849/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $4,780 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,990 | $47,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Stockton-Lodi, CA MSA and Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Stockton-Lodi, CA and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Stockton | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 115.6 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 158.2 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 105.1 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Stockton, CA → Wichita, KS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +18.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$290/yr.
100 Strong offer
Wichita, KS → Stockton, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.4%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$290/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Stockton, CA is in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA pay area; Wichita, KS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Stockton, CA to Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Stockton, CA | Wichita, KS | Real change, Stockton → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $61,722 | −5.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $74,678 | −5.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $89,508 | −5.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $106,437 | −5.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $125,776 | −5.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Stockton, CA | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Stockton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $97,400 | $58,640 | $69,283 (−28.9%) |
| Software Developers | $138,550 | $105,980 | $125,215 (−9.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,570 | $79,270 | $93,657 (+12.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $134,580 | $76,540 | $90,431 (−32.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.