California
CA • West
Quality of Life Score
50.49
State Comparison
California vs Washington
Washington is cheaper overall, while $100 goes further in Washington, Washington has higher incomes, Washington has lower state income tax, and California gets more sunshine.
California
11
/ 31
metrics won
Score
VS
Washington
20
/ 31
metrics won
WA wins Housing
WA wins Quality of Life
CA wins Climate
WA wins Income
Quality of Life
Composite score — income, affordability, education, health, and safety.
California
winner
vs
Washington
California scores higher on quality of life — 1.32 points difference.
Overview
Key differences overview
These cards keep the comparison factual first, so the biggest tradeoffs in affordability, housing, taxes, politics, climate, and day-to-day living are easy to scan.
Overall Affordability
Washington is 23.2 points cheaper overall
Washington has the lower cost-of-living index. Washington is at 115.3, while California is at 138.5.
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Real Dollar Value
$100 goes $8.57 further in Washington
After BEA price-level adjustments, $100 has about $100.88 of local buying power in Washington, versus $92.31 in California.
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Income
Washington income is 7.4% higher
Washington has the higher median household income at $90,325, compared with $84,097 in California.
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Jobs
Washington has the higher minimum wage
Washington has the higher statewide minimum wage at $16.66/hr, compared with $16.50/hr in California.
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Housing
California homes cost about 1.3x more
Washington has the lower median home value at $528,300, versus $693,700 in California.
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Taxes
Washington has lower state income tax
Washington has the lower state income tax rate. Its top rate is 0.00%, compared with 13.30% in California.
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What's Your Salary Really Worth?
Enter your gross income to see real purchasing power and the cost-of-living equivalent in both states.
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California
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (top rate 13.3%)
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- After state tax
- —
- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
- —
Washington
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (none)
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- After state tax
- —
- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
- —
Cost-of-Living Equivalent
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* "After state tax" uses the top marginal rate — actual effective rate is lower for most incomes. Real buying power uses BEA Regional Price Parity (113.4 for California, 106.0 for Washington). COL equivalent uses the MERIC/C2ER composite index.
Tradeoffs
Pros and cons for each state
A fast scan of the biggest advantages and drawbacks pulled from affordability, housing, income, taxes, safety, health, education, jobs, and weather.
California
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: California
- California has lower property tax rates on average.
- California job growth trend is stronger.
- California has more sunny days.
Cons
- California has a higher overall cost of living.
- California has a higher housing cost index.
- California has higher median home values.
- California shows lower median income.
- California has a higher violent crime rate.
- California health access/outcomes proxy is lower.
Washington
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: Washington
- Washington has a lower overall cost of living.
- Washington has a lower housing cost index.
- Washington has lower median home values.
- Washington shows higher median income.
- Washington has a lower violent crime rate.
- Washington health access/outcomes proxy is higher.
Cons
- Washington has higher property tax rates on average.
- Washington job growth trend is weaker.
- Washington has fewer sunny days.
Full Comparison
Pick a category to focus on. General shows the most important facts at a glance.
| Metric |
CA
|
WA
|
|---|---|---|
|
Capital City
|
Sacramento | Olympia |
|
State Color
|
Solid Blue | Solid Blue |
|
Population
|
39,538,223
|
7,705,281
|
|
Median Income
|
$84,097
|
$90,325
|
|
Cost of Living
|
138.5
|
115.3
|
|
Median Housing Value
|
$693,700
|
$528,300
|
|
Property Tax
|
0.70%
|
0.81%
|
|
State Income Tax
|
13.30%
|
None (0%)
|
|
Minimum Wage
|
$16.50/hr
|
$16.66/hr
|
|
Gas Price
|
$5.929/gal
|
$5.386/gal
|
|
Electricity Rates
|
30.29 c/kWh
|
13.81 c/kWh
|
|
Livability Score
|
50.49
|
49.17
|
|
Average Temperature
|
59.4°F
|
48.3°F
|
|
Sunny Days
|
146 days
|
58 days
|
|
Land Area
|
163,696 sq mi
|
71,298 sq mi
|
|
Population Density
|
241.5 per sq mi
|
108.1 per sq mi
|
|
Statehood
|
September 9, 1850 (#31)
|
November 11, 1889 (#42)
|
Intent-Oriented
Which state fits your priorities better?
Use these cards as decision shortcuts for common goals like saving money, buying a home, finding better weather, or optimizing for work and family life.
6
of
16
shown
Saving Money
Washington is cheaper overall
Overall cost-of-living index: 115.3 vs 138.5 in California. On a national baseline of 100, the lower score usually means cheaper day-to-day expenses.
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Gas Price
Washington is cheaper at the pump
Average regular gas price: $5.386/gal in Washington vs $5.929/gal in California. Lower pump prices can cut everyday driving costs.
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Minimum Wage
Washington has the higher minimum wage
State minimum wage: $16.66/hr in Washington vs $16.50/hr in California. That matters most for hourly, entry-level, and part-time workers.
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Electricity Rates
Washington has cheaper electricity
Average residential electricity rate: 13.81 c/kWh in Washington vs 30.29 c/kWh in California. Lower cents-per-kWh pricing can help keep utility bills down.
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Buying a Home
Washington is more attainable for buyers
Home-value-to-income ratio: 5.85x in Washington vs 8.25x in California. A lower ratio means the median home is easier to afford on a median income.
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Renting
Washington is easier for renters
Rent-to-income ratio: 21.9% in Washington vs 26.5% in California. A lower percentage means rent takes a smaller bite out of a typical household budget.
See full dataExplore by Category
Dive Deeper
Each link opens a full one-on-one breakdown for that metric — national rankings, charts, and context.
Population
California has a larger population than Washington by 31,832,942 people.
Population Density
California is more densely populated than Washington.
Bachelor's Degree
Washington has a higher college-educated share than California.
Advanced Degree
Washington has a higher advanced-degree share than California.
People Also Ask
California vs Washington - Common Questions
Q Is California cheaper to live in than Washington?
Washington has the lower cost of living. On the national index (100 = average), Washington scores 115.3 versus 138.5 for California - a gap of 23.2 points.
Q Where does $100 go further - California or Washington?
$100 goes further in Washington. After BEA regional price adjustments, $100 is worth about $100.88 in Washington, compared with $92.31 in California.
Q Which state is bigger - California or Washington?
California is larger, covering 163,696 sq mi compared with 71,298 sq mi for Washington - roughly 2.3x the size.
Q Does California or Washington have more people?
California has the larger population at 39,538,223, compared with 7,705,281 in Washington.
Q Which state has higher household income - California or Washington?
Washington has the higher median household income at $90,325, versus $84,097 in California.
Q Which state has lower income taxes - California or Washington?
Washington has no state income tax, while California charges up to 13.30%.
Q Is housing cheaper in California or Washington?
Homes are cheaper in Washington, where the median home value is $528,300, versus $693,700 in California.
Q Which state is more densely populated - California or Washington?
California is more densely populated at 241.5 per sq mi people per sq mi. Washington is more spread out at 108.1 per sq mi people per sq mi.
Related Comparisons
Methodology
All figures are sourced from U.S. government datasets and updated annually. Page last updated: April 2026.
Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files and statehood dates from the National Archives. 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. See our editorial policy for how we review and update these pages.