City comparison
Austin, TX vs Ocala, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Austin, TX are 3.0% higher than in Ocala, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Ocala, FL would need about $103,000 in Austin, TX to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,562 a month in Austin, TX versus $1,172 in Ocala, FL. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Austin, TX and 18% in Ocala, FL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in TX and $0 in FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.7% moving from Austin, TX to Ocala, FL ($109,428 → $106,437), while prices change by −2.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.2% in real buying power.
- Austin, TX: price level 98.1 (about average)
- 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
| Austin, TX | Ocala, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.1 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,112 in Ocala | $102,974 in Austin |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,562/mo | $1,172/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,950 | $43,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX MSA and Ocala, FL MSA. Metro areas: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX and Ocala, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Austin | Ocala |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.4 | 86.2 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 82.0 | 87.1 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 98.1 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Austin, TX → Ocala, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
78 Strong offer
Ocala, FL → Austin, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
60 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Austin, TX is in the Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX pay area; Ocala, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Austin, TX to Ocala, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Austin, TX | Ocala, FL | Real change, Austin → Ocala |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,457 | $61,722 | +0.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,777 | $74,678 | +0.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,023 | $89,508 | +0.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,428 | $106,437 | +0.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,311 | $125,776 | +0.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Austin, TX | Ocala, FL | Ocala pay in Austin dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $134,100 | not published | — |
| Software Developers | $134,120 | $112,780 | $116,134 (−13.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,120 | $74,370 | $76,582 (−7.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,890 | $79,230 | $81,586 (−16.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.