Real Dollar Value
Massachusetts stretches $100 further
A national-average $100 buys about $95.55 of local goods and services in Massachusetts, compared with $92.31 in California.
Income
California vs Massachusetts: Purchasing Power of $100
$100 goes further in Massachusetts: about $95.55 in local buying power versus $92.31 in California, a $3.24 gap.
National Rankings
Where They Rank Nationally
See where both states fall among all 50 states for purchasing power of $100.
California
#48 · $92.31
Massachusetts
#46 · $95.55
Lowest
Highest
Top 10 States — Purchasing Power of $100
#1
Mississippi
$116.01
Mississippi
#2
Alabama
$114.62
Alabama
#3
Oklahoma
$113.65
Oklahoma
#4
Arkansas
$113.40
Arkansas
#5
Kansas
$113.09
Kansas
#6
West Virginia
$112.73
West Virginia
#7
Missouri
$112.21
Missouri
#8
Iowa
$111.93
Iowa
#9
Tennessee
$111.32
Tennessee
#10
South Dakota
$111.28
South Dakota
Selected states
#48
California
$92.31
California
#46
Massachusetts
$95.55
Massachusetts
California ranks 48th and Massachusetts ranks 46th nationally for purchasing power of $100.
Safety Context
Purchasing Power of $100 in context
Economic and demographic factors behind the violent crime rate difference.
BEA Price Index
Massachusetts has the lower official price level
BEA Regional Price Parity is lower in Massachusetts (110.4) than in California (113.4), which is why the same cash buys more there.
See full data →Income Check
Massachusetts has the higher median income
Purchasing power does not replace income. Massachusetts has a median household income of $96,505, versus $84,097 in California.
See full data →Living Costs
California also looks cheaper on the cost index
California's cost-of-living index is 138.5, compared with 148.8 in the other state.
See full data →Related pages
What this means
California vs Massachusetts: Purchasing Power of $100 in context
Massachusetts's purchasing power of $100 is $95.55, compared with $92.31 in California. Real local value of $100 after adjusting for BEA Regional Price Parities.
California
$92.31
Massachusetts
$95.55
Difference
$3
People also ask
California vs Massachusetts Purchasing Power of $100 — common questions
QWhat is California's purchasing power of $100?
California's purchasing power of $100 is $92.31.
QWhat is Massachusetts's purchasing power of $100?
Massachusetts's purchasing power of $100 is $95.55.
QWhich state has a higher purchasing power of $100 — California or Massachusetts?
$100 goes further in Massachusetts: about $95.55 in local buying power versus $92.31 in California, a $3.24 gap.
More comparisons: California vs Massachusetts
Grouped tabs keep the deep-dive links tighter and easier to scan.
Explore each state
Data source and freshness
Primary source
Data period
Latest incorporated BEA release
Dataset reviewed
July 23, 2026
Method note
Derived as 100 divided by the state price parity, multiplied by $100.