City comparison
Crestview, FL vs Providence, RI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Providence, RI are 4.9% higher than in Crestview, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Crestview, FL would need about $104,900 in Providence, RI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,581 a month in Crestview, FL versus $1,402 in Providence, RI. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Crestview, FL and 22% in Providence, RI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,148 a year higher in Providence, RI than in Crestview, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Crestview, FL to Providence, RI ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +4.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.0% in real buying power.
- Crestview, FL: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
- Providence, RI: price level 101.8 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Crestview, FL | Providence, RI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.0 | 101.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,887 in Providence | $95,341 in Crestview |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,581/mo | $1,402/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $3,148 (RI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,510 | $53,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL and Providence-Warwick, RI-MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Crestview | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.9 | 103.9 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 97.1 |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 97.0 | 101.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Crestview, FL → Providence, RI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.7%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$3,148/yr.
54 Fair offer
Providence, RI → Crestview, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,148/yr.
84 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Crestview, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Providence, RI is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Crestview, FL to Providence, RI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Crestview, FL | Providence, RI | Real change, Crestview → Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +8.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +8.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +8.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +8.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +8.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Crestview, FL | Providence, RI | Providence pay in Crestview dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,330 | $86,720 | $82,679 (+37.0%) |
| Software Developers | $130,640 | $130,690 | $124,601 (−4.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,510 | $95,020 | $90,593 (+13.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,260 | $99,880 | $95,226 (+17.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.