Cost of living in Fresno: rent, homes and salary
Against a US average of 100, the cost of living in Fresno sits 2.2% higher. In 2024, the regional price parity (RPP) that BEA publishes for the metro area of Fresno, CA came to 102.2, and housing alone to 95.7.
- Overall prices
- 102.2US = 100, BEA 2024
- Price level for housing
- 95.7 for rents, with US = 100.
Cost of living index for Fresno
A regional price parity sets the cost of the same goods and services in one place against the US average, which is set at 100. For the Fresno, CA metro area, where Fresno is located, BEA prices the whole area together. Utilities sit furthest from the US average, and their index of 161.0 puts them 61.0% above the US figure.
| Price level, US = 100 | Fresno, CA metro | California | Metro against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 102.2 | 110.7 | +2.2% |
| Goods | 105.2 | 106.1 | +5.2% |
| Housing (rents) | 95.7 | 154.3 | −4.3% |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 158.9 | +61.0% |
| Other services | 100.3 | 102.6 | +0.3% |
These figures come from the 2024 regional price parities of the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, by metro area and state. BEA parities
Fresno rent
Fresno's typical asking rent is $1,945 a month, +3.9% from a year ago. ZORI, the Zillow Observed Rent Index, measures rent on homes listed now. The US figure is $1,932. According to the Census, median gross rent is $1,552, a figure that includes every renting household, not only new leases. Twelve months of asking rent equals 31% of the median household income.
| Rent | Fresno | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical asking rent, Zillow ZORI | $1,945 | $1,932 |
| Asking rent, 12-month change | +3.9% | |
| Median gross rent, Census ACS 2024 | $1,552 | $1,487 |
| Share of median income that one year of asking rent makes up | 31% | 28% |
Zillow Observed Rent Index; one-year estimates from the Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024.
Fresno home prices
In September 2026, the Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) valued a typical home in Fresno at $384,885, which is the value of a typical home at the market's middle. The yearly change is +0.6%, against $366,157 in the US. The price works out to 5.2 years of median household income, while the US figure is 4.5.
| Home prices | Fresno | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value, September 2026 | $384,885 | $366,157 |
| 12-month change | +0.6% | +1.2% |
| 10-year change | +87.3% | +77.4% |
| Price to income (years of median income) | 5.2 | 4.5 |
| Price to rent (years of asking rent) | 16.5 | 15.8 |
Days on market, the forecast, and a price chart since 2000: Fresno housing market.
The salary you need to live in Fresno
In Fresno, the salary that buys what you buy today rests on two questions: where you live, and how much you earn.
- Moving away from
- Salary
Every city, side by side, plus the method: city cost of living comparison.
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Fresno cost of living compared with other cities
| City | Overall prices | Housing | Rent, typical | Typical value of a home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fresno | 102.2 | 95.7 | $1,945 | $384,885 |
| Los Angeles | 113.6 | 170.4 | $2,772 | $927,891 |
| San Diego | 111.9 | 179.3 | $3,004 | $980,490 |
| San Jose | 110.4 | 211.9 | $3,582 | $1,353,869 |
| San Francisco | 115.6 | 194.7 | $4,784 | $1,441,021 |
| Sacramento | 106.7 | 130.2 | $2,045 | $470,552 |
| Long Beach | 113.6 | 170.4 | $2,412 | $852,391 |
| Oakland | 115.6 | 194.7 | $2,758 | $710,647 |
| Bakersfield | 100.9 | 90.3 | $1,901 | $385,686 |
Price levels come from BEA regional price parities 2024, with US = 100. Rent comes from Zillow ZORI. Home value comes from Zillow ZHVI, September 2026.
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