City comparison
Visalia, CA vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Visalia, CA are 12.2% higher than in Wichita, KS. Someone earning $100,000 in Wichita, KS would need about $112,200 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 $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Visalia, CA and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $290 a year higher in Visalia, CA than in Wichita, KS.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.5% moving from Visalia, CA to Wichita, KS ($106,973 → $106,437), while prices change by −10.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.7% in real buying power.
- Visalia, CA: price level 99.8 (about average)
- 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
| Visalia, CA | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.8 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,102 in Wichita | $112,231 in Visalia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,123/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 | 18% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,130 | $47,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Visalia, CA MSA and Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Visalia, CA and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Visalia | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.1 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 156.4 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 99.8 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Visalia, CA → Wichita, KS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.2%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$290/yr.
100 Strong offer
Wichita, KS → Visalia, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$290/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Visalia, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; Wichita, KS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Visalia, CA to Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Visalia, CA | Wichita, KS | Real change, Visalia → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $61,722 | +11.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $74,678 | +11.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $89,508 | +11.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $106,437 | +11.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $125,776 | +11.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Visalia, CA | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Visalia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,430 | $58,640 | $65,812 (−33.1%) |
| Software Developers | $126,170 | $105,980 | $118,942 (−5.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,400 | $79,270 | $88,966 (+12.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,180 | $76,540 | $85,902 (−31.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.