City comparison
Colorado Springs, CO vs Palm Bay, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Colorado Springs, CO (100.7) and Palm Bay, FL (100.0, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Colorado Springs, CO goes as far as $99,300 in Palm Bay, FL.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,464 a month in Colorado Springs, CO and $1,478 in Palm Bay, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,692 a year higher in Colorado Springs, CO than in Palm Bay, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.8% moving from Colorado Springs, CO to Palm Bay, FL ($109,246 → $107,228), while prices change by −0.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.2% in real buying power.
- Colorado Springs, CO: price level 100.7 (about average)
- 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
| Colorado Springs, CO | Palm Bay, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.7 | 100.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,303 in Palm Bay | $100,702 in Colorado Springs |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,464/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 | 23% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,710 | $49,030 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Colorado Springs, CO | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL |
Rent areas: Colorado Springs, CO HUD Metro FMR Area and Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL MSA. Metro areas: Colorado Springs, CO and Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Colorado Springs | Palm Bay |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 116.2 | 111.7 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 83.2 | 88.1 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 100.7 | 100.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Colorado Springs, CO → Palm Bay, FL
Roughly even
Buying power +0.7%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$3,692/yr.
71 Strong offer
Palm Bay, FL → Colorado Springs, CO
Roughly even
Buying power −0.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$3,692/yr.
67 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Colorado Springs, CO is in the Colorado Springs, CO pay area; Palm Bay, FL is in Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL. The last column shows what a transfer from Colorado Springs, CO to Palm Bay, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Colorado Springs, CO | Palm Bay, FL | Real change, Colorado Springs → Palm Bay |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,351 | $62,181 | −1.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,650 | $75,233 | −1.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,870 | $90,173 | −1.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,246 | $107,228 | −1.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,096 | $126,711 | −1.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Colorado Springs, CO | Palm Bay, FL | Palm Bay pay in Colorado Springs dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,140 | $62,510 | $62,949 (+3.0%) |
| Software Developers | $134,280 | $131,760 | $132,685 (−1.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,000 | $75,860 | $76,393 (−10.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,140 | $80,900 | $81,468 (−15.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.