Real Dollar Value
California stretches $100 further
A national-average $100 buys about $92.31 of local goods and services in California, compared with $88.30 in New York.
Purchasing Power of $100 Comparison
Income
California vs New York: Purchasing Power of $100
$100 goes further in California: about $92.31 in local buying power versus $88.30 in New York, a $4.01 gap.
$92.31
Real local value of $100 after adjusting for BEA Regional Price Parities.
New York
NY • Northeast
$88.30
Real local value of $100 after adjusting for BEA Regional Price Parities.
Visual Comparison
California
$92.31
New York
$88.30
Difference: $4 — California leads.
National Rankings
Where They Rank Nationally
See where both states fall among all 50 states for purchasing power of $100.
California
#48 · $92.31
New York
#49 · $88.30
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
#49
New York
$88.30
New York
California ranks 48th and New York ranks 49th nationally for purchasing power of $100.
Safety Context
Economic and demographic factors behind the violent crime rate difference.
Safety
BEA Price Index
California has the lower official price level
BEA Regional Price Parity is lower in California (113.4) than in New York (114.8), which is why the same cash buys more there.
View detailed comparisonIncome Check
California has the higher median income
Purchasing power does not replace income. California has a median household income of $84,097, versus $78,609 in New York.
View detailed comparisonLiving Costs
New York also looks cheaper on the cost index
New York's cost-of-living index is 132.7, compared with 138.5 in the other state.
View detailed comparisonRelated Pages
What This Means
California vs New York: Purchasing Power of $100 in context
California has a purchasing power of $100 of $92.31, compared with $88.30 in New York. Real local value of $100 after adjusting for BEA Regional Price Parities.
California
$92.31
New York
$88.30
Difference
$4
People Also Ask
California vs New York Purchasing Power of $100 — Common Questions
Q What is California's purchasing power of $100?
California's purchasing power of $100 is $92.31.
Q What is New York's purchasing power of $100?
New York's purchasing power of $100 is $88.30.
Q Which state has a higher purchasing power of $100 — California or New York?
$100 goes further in California: about $92.31 in local buying power versus $88.30 in New York, a $4.01 gap.
More Comparisons: California vs New York
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Sources: Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset; purchasing-power figures use BEA Regional Price Parities. Minimum wage data comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker.