City comparison
Atlantic City, NJ vs Lakeland, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Atlantic City, NJ are 1.8% higher than in Lakeland, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Lakeland, FL would need about $101,800 in Atlantic City, NJ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,537 a month in Atlantic City, NJ versus $1,230 in Lakeland, FL. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Atlantic City, NJ and 19% in Lakeland, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,180 a year higher in Atlantic City, NJ than in Lakeland, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.2% moving from Atlantic City, NJ to Lakeland, FL ($117,284 → $106,437), while prices change by −1.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.6% in real buying power.
- Atlantic City, NJ: price level 98.9 (about average)
- Lakeland, FL: price level 97.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Atlantic City, NJ | Lakeland, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.9 | 97.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,264 in Lakeland | $101,767 in Atlantic City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/mo | $1,230/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,000 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,180 (NJ) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,520 | $46,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ HUD Metro FMR Area and Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL MSA. Metro areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ and Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlantic City | Lakeland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.7 | 95.9 |
| Goods | 99.8 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 109.2 | 86.9 |
| Other services | 97.9 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 98.9 | 97.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlantic City, NJ → Lakeland, FL
Roughly even
Buying power +1.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,180/yr.
74 Strong offer
Lakeland, FL → Atlantic City, NJ
Roughly even
Buying power −1.7%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$4,180/yr.
63 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlantic City, NJ is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Lakeland, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlantic City, NJ to Lakeland, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlantic City, NJ | Lakeland, FL | Real change, Atlantic City → Lakeland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $61,722 | −7.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $74,678 | −7.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $89,508 | −7.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $106,437 | −7.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $125,776 | −7.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlantic City, NJ | Lakeland, FL | Lakeland pay in Atlantic City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,480 | $50,420 | $51,311 (−36.2%) |
| Software Developers | $126,670 | $122,200 | $124,359 (−1.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,040 | $76,820 | $78,177 (−5.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,320 | $84,030 | $85,514 (−13.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.