City comparison

Crestview, FL vs Ocala, FL

What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.

Key findings

  • Prices in Crestview, FL are 1.9% higher than in Ocala, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Ocala, FL would need about $101,900 in Crestview, FL to live the same way.
  • Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,581 a month in Crestview, FL versus $1,172 in Ocala, FL. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Crestview, FL and 18% in Ocala, 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 Ocala, FL changes real buying power by +1.9%, purely from prices.
CrestviewOcala
Price level (U.S. = 100):Under 9292–9898–102102–108Over 108
  • Crestview, FL: price level 97.0 (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

Crestview, FLOcala, FL
Price level (U.S. = 100)297.095.2
$100,000 is worth, in the other city2$98,148 in Ocala$101,887 in Crestview
Typical 1-bedroom rent3$1,581/mo$1,172/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 $100,00024%18%
Median pay, all jobs4$47,510$43,990
Federal locality pay area7Rest of U.S.Rest of U.S.

Rent areas: Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Ocala, FL MSA. Metro areas: Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL and Ocala, FL.

What costs more or less

Crestview, FLOcala, FL
Price level (U.S. = 100)CrestviewOcala
Housing (rent)94.986.2
Goods96.296.2
Utilities89.087.1
Other services98.998.9
Overall97.095.2
BEA Regional Price Parities2. Housing covers rents.

Moving with the same $100,000 salary

Crestview, FL → Ocala, FL

Roughly even

Buying power +1.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.

75 Strong offer

Ocala, FL → Crestview, FL

Roughly even

Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.

63 Fair offer

Federal employees: GS pay

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 Ocala, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.

Grade5,2Crestview, FLOcala, FLReal change, Crestview → Ocala
GS-9 step 1$61,722$61,722+1.9%
GS-11 step 1$74,678$74,678+1.9%
GS-12 step 1$89,508$89,508+1.9%
GS-13 step 1$106,437$106,437+1.9%
GS-14 step 1$125,776$125,776+1.9%

Pay for common jobs

Median annual pay4Crestview, FLOcala, FLOcala pay in Crestview dollars
Information Security Analysts$108,420not published—
Software Developers$130,640$112,780$114,908 (−12.0%)
Accountants and Auditors$79,510$74,370$75,773 (−4.7%)
Registered Nurses$81,260$79,230$80,725 (−0.7%)

"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.

Check your own offer

Loading calculator…

Taxes are estimates for a single filer taking the standard deduction; city and county income taxes are not included. See the methodology.

Notes & Sources

  1. U.S. Census Bureau, Metropolitan Statistical Area population estimates (Vintage 2025) (2025). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  2. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by MSA (MARPP), all items (2024). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  3. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents, 1-bedroom (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  4. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, metropolitan areas (2025). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  5. U.S. Office of Personnel Management, General Schedule (GS) pay rates with locality pay, 2026 (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  6. U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Locality codes used in the 2026 GS pay spreadsheet (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  7. U.S. Office of Personnel Management, 2026 Locality Pay Area Definitions (counties in each pay area) (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  8. Tax Foundation, State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets, 2026 (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  9. U.S. Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary file: states, 1:20,000,000 (2024) (2024). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  10. U.S. Census Bureau, Gazetteer file: core based statistical areas (2025) (2025). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  11. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, table C24010 (occupation of employed residents) by ZIP code area (2024). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  12. U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Tabulation Area relationship files (2020; Connecticut 2022) and Gazetteer locations (2025) (2025). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  13. U.S. Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary files (ZIP code areas 2020; counties and states 2024) and TIGER/Line primary roads (2024) (2024). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  14. Internal Revenue Service, Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (2026 tax brackets and standard deduction) (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  15. Internal Revenue Service, Publication 15 (Circular E), Employer's Tax Guide for 2026 (Social Security and Medicare) (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.