City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Ocala, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Columbus, OH (95.5) and Ocala, FL (95.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Columbus, OH goes as far as $99,800 in Ocala, FL.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH and $1,172 in Ocala, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Columbus, OH than in Ocala, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Columbus, OH to Ocala, FL ($111,065 → $106,437), while prices change by −0.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.9% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (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
| Columbus, OH | Ocala, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,754 in Ocala | $100,247 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/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 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $43,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Ocala, FL MSA. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Ocala, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Ocala |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 86.2 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 87.1 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Ocala, FL
Roughly even
Buying power +0.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
70 Fair offer
Ocala, FL → Columbus, OH
Roughly even
Buying power −0.2%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Ocala, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Ocala, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Ocala, FL | Real change, Columbus → Ocala |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $61,722 | −3.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $74,678 | −3.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $89,508 | −3.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $106,437 | −3.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $125,776 | −3.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Ocala, FL | Ocala pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $57,540 | $57,682 (−26.2%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $112,780 | $113,058 (−7.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $74,370 | $74,554 (−8.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $79,230 | $79,426 (−5.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.