City comparison
Akron, OH vs Ocala, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Ocala, FL are 2.0% higher than in Akron, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Akron, OH would need about $102,000 in Ocala, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,172 a month in Ocala, FL versus $985 in Akron, OH. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Ocala, FL and 15% in Akron, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Akron, OH than in Ocala, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Akron, OH to Ocala, FL ($111,138 → $106,437), while prices change by +2.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.1% in real buying power.
- Akron, OH: price level 93.4 (cheaper)
- Ocala, FL: price level 95.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Akron, OH | Ocala, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.4 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,996 in Ocala | $98,043 in Akron |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $985/mo | $1,172/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,840 | $43,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Akron, OH MSA and Ocala, FL MSA. Metro areas: Akron, OH and Ocala, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Akron | Ocala |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 86.2 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 96.4 | 87.1 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 93.4 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Akron, OH → Ocala, FL
Roughly even
Buying power −2.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
63 Fair offer
Ocala, FL → Akron, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +2.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
75 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Akron, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Ocala, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Akron, OH to Ocala, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Akron, OH | Ocala, FL | Real change, Akron → Ocala |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $61,722 | −6.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $74,678 | −6.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $89,508 | −6.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $106,437 | −6.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $125,776 | −6.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Akron, OH | Ocala, FL | Ocala pay in Akron dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,560 | $57,540 | $56,414 (−28.2%) |
| Software Developers | $105,430 | $112,780 | $110,573 (+4.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,540 | $74,370 | $72,914 (−7.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,770 | $79,230 | $77,679 (−3.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.