City comparison
Cape Coral, FL vs Longview, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cape Coral, FL are 14.4% higher than in Longview, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Longview, TX would need about $114,400 in Cape Coral, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,638 a month in Cape Coral, FL versus $1,013 in Longview, TX. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Cape Coral, FL and 15% in Longview, TX.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in FL and $0 in TX.
- 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 Cape Coral, FL to Longview, TX changes real buying power by +14.4%, purely from prices.
- Cape Coral, FL: price level 102.3 (pricier)
- Longview, TX: price level 89.5 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cape Coral, FL | Longview, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.3 | 89.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,431 in Longview | $114,376 in Cape Coral |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,638/mo | $1,013/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,780 | $45,150 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL MSA and Longview, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL and Longview, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cape Coral | Longview |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 66.7 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 86.9 | 83.5 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 102.3 | 89.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cape Coral, FL → Longview, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
100 Strong offer
Longview, TX → Cape Coral, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.6%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
38 Weak 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 Cape Coral, FL to Longview, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cape Coral, FL | Longview, TX | Real change, Cape Coral → Longview |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +14.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +14.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +14.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +14.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +14.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cape Coral, FL | Longview, TX | Longview pay in Cape Coral dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,470 | $60,210 | $68,866 (+13.9%) |
| Software Developers | $126,940 | $106,360 | $121,650 (−4.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,420 | $75,060 | $85,850 (+8.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $80,330 | $91,878 (+10.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.