City comparison
Deltona, FL vs Houston, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Deltona, FL (99.4) and Houston, TX (98.6, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Deltona, FL goes as far as $99,300 in Houston, TX.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,385 a month in Deltona, FL and $1,323 in Houston, TX.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in FL and $0 in TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +15.3% moving from Deltona, FL to Houston, TX ($106,437 → $122,749), while prices change by −0.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +16.2% in real buying power.
- Deltona, FL: price level 99.4 (about average)
- Houston, TX: price level 98.6 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Deltona, FL | Houston, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.4 | 98.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,257 in Houston | $100,748 in Deltona |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,385/mo | $1,323/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 21% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,940 | $49,410 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Houston-The Woodlands, TX |
Rent areas: Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL and Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Deltona | Houston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 108.4 | 104.5 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 100.6 |
| Utilities | 87.6 | 95.3 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 95.6 |
| Overall | 99.4 | 98.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Deltona, FL → Houston, TX
Roughly even
Buying power +0.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
71 Strong offer
Houston, TX → Deltona, FL
Roughly even
Buying power −0.7%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
66 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Deltona, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Houston, TX is in Houston-The Woodlands, TX. The last column shows what a transfer from Deltona, FL to Houston, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Deltona, FL | Houston, TX | Real change, Deltona → Houston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $71,181 | +16.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $86,123 | +16.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $103,225 | +16.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $122,749 | +16.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $145,052 | +16.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Deltona, FL | Houston, TX | Houston pay in Deltona dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,770 | $64,500 | $64,983 (+12.5%) |
| Software Developers | $122,000 | $129,440 | $130,409 (+6.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,730 | $85,090 | $85,727 (+16.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,180 | $99,830 | $100,577 (+19.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.