City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Jacksonville, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 5.7% higher than in Jacksonville, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Jacksonville, FL would need about $105,700 in Boulder, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $1,382 in Jacksonville, FL. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 21% in Jacksonville, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,692 a year higher in Boulder, CO than in Jacksonville, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.3% moving from Boulder, CO to Jacksonville, FL ($118,675 → $106,437), while prices change by −5.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.2% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- Jacksonville, FL: price level 99.5 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boulder, CO | Jacksonville, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 99.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,565 in Jacksonville | $105,748 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 21% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $48,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Jacksonville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Jacksonville, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Jacksonville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 109.8 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 87.5 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 99.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Jacksonville, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.7%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax −$3,692/yr.
87 Strong offer
Jacksonville, FL → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.4%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$3,692/yr.
46 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Jacksonville, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Jacksonville, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Jacksonville, FL | Real change, Boulder → Jacksonville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,722 | −5.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,678 | −5.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,508 | −5.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,437 | −5.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $125,776 | −5.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Jacksonville, FL | Jacksonville pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $61,080 | $64,591 (−19.9%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $130,330 | $137,821 (−16.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $79,960 | $84,556 (−15.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $83,520 | $88,320 (−14.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.