City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Palm Bay, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 5.2% higher than in Palm Bay, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Palm Bay, FL would need about $105,200 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 $1,478 in Palm Bay, FL. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 22% in Palm Bay, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,692 a year higher in Boulder, CO than in Palm Bay, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.6% moving from Boulder, CO to Palm Bay, FL ($118,675 → $107,228), while prices change by −4.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.0% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- Palm Bay, FL: price level 100.0 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boulder, CO | Palm Bay, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 100.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,060 in Palm Bay | $105,197 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,478/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% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $49,030 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL MSA. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Palm Bay |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 111.7 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 88.1 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 100.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Palm Bay, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$3,692/yr.
85 Strong offer
Palm Bay, FL → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.9%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$3,692/yr.
48 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Palm Bay, FL is in Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Palm Bay, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Palm Bay, FL | Real change, Boulder → Palm Bay |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $62,181 | −5.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $75,233 | −5.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $90,173 | −5.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $107,228 | −5.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $126,711 | −5.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Palm Bay, FL | Palm Bay pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $62,510 | $65,758 (−18.5%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $131,760 | $138,607 (−15.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $75,860 | $79,802 (−20.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $80,900 | $85,104 (−17.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.