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Salary vs. Cost of Living in California

Compare take-home pay and living costs across 29 counties and 142 occupations in California.

Counties
29
CA, listed here
Occupations
142
with published wages
Median of medians
$59,470
per year, before tax
Population covered
35,872,353
residents in listed counties

Salary and cost of living across California

This page covers 29 California counties and 142 occupations with published wages. Across all of them the median of the median salaries is $59,470 a year. Each county links to its own list of jobs, with take-home pay and cost-of-living math for every one.

Housing is the biggest difference between places: a one-bedroom Fair Market Rent runs from $1,108 a month in Tulare County, CA to $3,003 in San Francisco County, CA. Among counties with at least 20 listed occupations, San Francisco County, CA has the highest median-of-medians pay at $65,990. Riverside County, CA has the largest share of occupations (95%) whose take-home pay covers rent, food, energy and gasoline.

Counties in California, largest first

Showing 1–29 of 29.

Counties in California with pay and rent summaries
CountyPopulationJobs listedTypical median pay1-bedroom rentJobs covering basics
Los Angeles County, CA9,808,667141$62,620$2,402/mo72%
San Diego County, CA3,288,77433$48,730$2,335/mo67%
Orange County, CA3,165,820141$62,620$2,610/mo64%
Riverside County, CA2,478,60040$46,380$1,705/mo95%
San Bernardino County, CA2,197,10440$46,380$1,705/mo95%
Santa Clara County, CA1,902,04718$52,950$2,778/mo50%
Alameda County, CA1,649,47362$64,580$2,290/mo84%
Sacramento County, CA1,594,00620$47,465$1,793/mo90%
Contra Costa County, CA1,165,01261$65,530$2,290/mo85%
Fresno County, CA1,016,7255$35,270$1,363/mo100%
Kern County, CA915,0752$34,470$1,273/mo100%
Ventura County, CA837,4691$34,320$2,035/mo0%
San Francisco County, CA830,23560$65,990$3,003/mo68%
San Joaquin County, CA797,3343$47,330$1,628/mo100%
San Mateo County, CA742,34060$65,990$3,003/mo68%
Sonoma County, CA485,0401$36,850$2,155/mo0%
Tulare County, CA478,6931$34,800$1,108/mo100%
Santa Barbara County, CA443,7011$36,230$2,711/mo0%
Monterey County, CA437,6131$36,700$2,009/mo0%
Placer County, CA419,15620$47,465$1,793/mo90%
Marin County, CA257,96960$65,990$3,003/mo68%
Yolo County, CA220,56420$47,465$1,670/mo95%
El Dorado County, CA192,66220$47,465$1,793/mo90%
Madera County, CA160,9405$35,270$1,272/mo100%
Humboldt County, CA134,5411$34,820$1,188/mo100%
Mendocino County, CA90,2441$34,820$1,287/mo100%
Lake County, CA68,1521$34,820$1,235/mo100%
San Benito County, CA67,29018$52,950$2,296/mo67%
Del Norte County, CA27,1071$34,820$1,292/mo100%