City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Ocala, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Cincinnati, OH (95.4) and Ocala, FL (95.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Cincinnati, OH goes as far as $99,900 in Ocala, FL.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,172 a month in Ocala, FL versus $1,051 in Cincinnati, OH. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Ocala, FL and 16% in Cincinnati, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Cincinnati, OH than in Ocala, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.0% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Ocala, FL ($110,865 → $106,437), while prices change by −0.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.9% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (cheaper)
- 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
| Cincinnati, OH | Ocala, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,857 in Ocala | $100,143 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $1,172/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $43,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Ocala, FL MSA. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Ocala, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Ocala |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 86.2 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 87.1 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Ocala, FL
Roughly even
Buying power +0.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
69 Fair offer
Ocala, FL → Cincinnati, OH
Roughly even
Buying power −0.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Ocala, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Ocala, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Ocala, FL | Real change, Cincinnati → Ocala |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $61,722 | −3.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $74,678 | −3.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $89,508 | −3.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $106,437 | −3.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $125,776 | −3.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Ocala, FL | Ocala pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $57,540 | $57,622 (−11.0%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $112,780 | $112,941 (−7.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $74,370 | $74,476 (−7.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $79,230 | $79,343 (−5.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.