City comparison
Brownsville, TX vs Gainesville, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Gainesville, FL are 12.5% higher than in Brownsville, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Brownsville, TX would need about $112,500 in Gainesville, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,246 a month in Gainesville, FL versus $866 in Brownsville, TX. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Gainesville, FL and 13% in Brownsville, TX.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in TX and $0 in FL.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Brownsville, TX to Gainesville, FL changes real buying power by −11.1%, purely from prices.
- Brownsville, TX: price level 86.0 (much cheaper)
- Gainesville, FL: price level 96.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Brownsville, TX | Gainesville, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 86.0 | 96.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,513 in Gainesville | $88,879 in Brownsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $866/mo | $1,246/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 | 13% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $36,490 | $47,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Brownsville-Harlingen, TX MSA and Gainesville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Brownsville-Harlingen, TX and Gainesville, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Brownsville | Gainesville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 57.7 | 93.0 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 81.2 | 88.2 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 86.0 | 96.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Brownsville, TX → Gainesville, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
38 Weak offer
Gainesville, FL → Brownsville, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.5%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Brownsville, TX to Gainesville, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Brownsville, TX | Gainesville, FL | Real change, Brownsville → Gainesville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −11.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −11.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −11.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −11.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −11.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Brownsville, TX | Gainesville, FL | Gainesville pay in Brownsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,350 | $56,430 | $50,154 (−20.8%) |
| Software Developers | $106,990 | $122,950 | $109,276 (+2.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $66,440 | $75,820 | $67,388 (+1.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,090 | $81,870 | $72,765 (−10.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.