City comparison
Crestview, FL vs Lakeland, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Crestview, FL (97.0) and Lakeland, FL (97.1, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Crestview, FL goes as far as $100,100 in Lakeland, FL.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,581 a month in Crestview, FL versus $1,230 in Lakeland, FL. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Crestview, FL and 19% in Lakeland, FL.
- Both are in FL, so estimated state income tax is the same: $0 a year on $100,000.
- 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 Crestview, FL to Lakeland, FL changes real buying power by −0.1%, purely from prices.
- Crestview, FL: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
- Lakeland, FL: price level 97.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Crestview, FL | Lakeland, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.0 | 97.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,113 in Lakeland | $99,887 in Crestview |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,581/mo | $1,230/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,510 | $46,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL MSA. Metro areas: Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL and Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Crestview | Lakeland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.9 | 95.9 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 86.9 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 97.0 | 97.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Crestview, FL → Lakeland, FL
Roughly even
Buying power −0.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
68 Fair offer
Lakeland, FL → Crestview, FL
Roughly even
Buying power +0.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
69 Fair 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 Crestview, FL to Lakeland, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Crestview, FL | Lakeland, FL | Real change, Crestview → Lakeland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −0.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −0.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −0.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −0.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −0.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Crestview, FL | Lakeland, FL | Lakeland pay in Crestview dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,330 | $50,420 | $50,363 (−16.5%) |
| Software Developers | $130,640 | $122,200 | $122,062 (−6.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,510 | $76,820 | $76,733 (−3.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,260 | $84,030 | $83,935 (+3.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.