City comparison
Gainesville, FL vs Greeley, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Greeley, CO are 3.6% higher than in Gainesville, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Gainesville, FL would need about $103,600 in Greeley, CO to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,246 a month in Gainesville, FL and $1,238 in Greeley, CO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,692 a year higher in Greeley, CO than in Gainesville, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.5% moving from Gainesville, FL to Greeley, CO ($106,437 → $118,675), while prices change by +3.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.7% in real buying power.
- Gainesville, FL: price level 96.7 (cheaper)
- Greeley, CO: price level 100.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Gainesville, FL | Greeley, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.7 | 100.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,559 in Greeley | $96,563 in Gainesville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,246/mo | $1,238/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,488 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $3,692 (CO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,020 | $55,070 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Denver-Aurora, CO |
Rent areas: Gainesville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Greeley, CO MSA. Metro areas: Gainesville, FL and Greeley, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Gainesville | Greeley |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.0 | 112.6 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.1 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 82.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 96.7 | 100.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Gainesville, FL → Greeley, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.4%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,692/yr.
58 Fair offer
Greeley, CO → Gainesville, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,692/yr.
80 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Gainesville, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Greeley, CO is in Denver-Aurora, CO. The last column shows what a transfer from Gainesville, FL to Greeley, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Gainesville, FL | Greeley, CO | Real change, Gainesville → Greeley |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,819 | +7.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,265 | +7.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $99,800 | +7.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $118,675 | +7.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $140,239 | +7.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Gainesville, FL | Greeley, CO | Greeley pay in Gainesville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $56,430 | $60,160 | $58,092 (+2.9%) |
| Software Developers | $122,950 | $129,480 | $125,030 (+1.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,820 | $87,240 | $84,242 (+11.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,870 | $96,300 | $92,990 (+13.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.