State comparison
California vs Guam: which state is better to live in?
Guam costs a median household about $8,200 a year less in state and local taxes than California, mostly because its income tax takes 0.0% of a median income against 4.5% in California.
California
Moderate tax burden · COL index 142
Wins 2 categories
Guam
Low tax burden · COL index 132
Wins 3 categories
Taxes: California vs Guam
California has a graduated income tax topping out at 13.3%, which works out to 4.5% on a median income of $74,580, or $3,375 a year. Guam has a graduated income tax topping out at 37%, which works out to 0.0% on a median income of $74,580, or $0 a year. Guam wins on income tax at 2026 rates.
Property tax is 0.71% of home value a year in California and 0.75% in Guam (Tax Foundation, 2023), so California has the lower rate.
Combined state and local sales tax averages 8.82% in California and 2.00% in Guam; Guam is lower.
Add it up for a household earning $74,580 (the 2022 national median) and owning the median home: $10,957 a year in California, $2,723 in Guam. Guam is cheaper on total state and local tax.
Housing and cost of living
California's cost of living index is 142 and Guam's is 132, where 100 is the national average; Guam is about 8% cheaper day to day.
Laws and politics
In the 2024 presidential election California went to Harris by 20 points and Guam went to Harris by 10 points.
California has may-issue carry permits and a Giffords gun-law grade of A; Guam has may-issue carry permits and a grade of C, so California regulates guns more tightly and Guam is the friendlier state for gun owners.
Tax figures use a household earning the national median income and owning each state's median home, at tax year 2026 rates, last checked against state sources on 2026-09-14. The table below has every number.
Taxes
Housing & Cost of Living
Social Policy
Category wins
2
California
3
Guam
Run the full slider tool to score these states against your specific income, home value, retirement, and lifestyle priorities.
Score For My Profile →Questions people ask
Is California or Guam better to live in?
Guam wins more of the measures that decide a move. Guam on taxes ($2,723 a year for a median household against $10,957); Guam on everyday costs (index 132 against 142).
Which is cheaper, California or Guam?
Guam is cheaper day to day: cost of living index 132 against 142. On state and local taxes Guam saves a median household about $8,200 a year.
Does California or Guam have lower taxes?
Guam. A household earning $74,580 pays about $10,957 a year in California ($3,375 income tax, $5,609 property tax on the median home and $1,973 in sales tax) and $2,723 in Guam ($0 income tax, $2,276 property tax on the median home and $447 in sales tax), at 2026 rates.
Is California or Guam better for retirees?
Guam is friendlier to retirees on paper. California does not tax Social Security, taxes pensions as income and has no estate or inheritance tax; Guam does not tax Social Security, partly exempts pensions and has no estate or inheritance tax. Property tax on a median home is $5,609 a year in California and $2,276 in Guam.