City comparison
Gainesville, FL vs Kennewick, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Kennewick, WA are 3.5% higher than in Gainesville, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Gainesville, FL would need about $103,500 in Kennewick, WA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,246 a month in Gainesville, FL and $1,268 in Kennewick, WA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in FL and $0 in WA.
- 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 Gainesville, FL to Kennewick, WA changes real buying power by −3.3%, purely from prices.
- Gainesville, FL: price level 96.7 (cheaper)
- Kennewick, WA: price level 100.1 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Gainesville, FL | Kennewick, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.7 | 100.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,459 in Kennewick | $96,657 in Gainesville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,246/mo | $1,268/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,020 | $57,290 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Gainesville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Kennewick-Richland, WA MSA. Metro areas: Gainesville, FL and Kennewick-Richland, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Gainesville | Kennewick |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.0 | 94.8 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 93.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 96.7 | 100.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Gainesville, FL → Kennewick, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
58 Fair offer
Kennewick, WA → Gainesville, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
80 Strong 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 Gainesville, FL to Kennewick, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Gainesville, FL | Kennewick, WA | Real change, Gainesville → Kennewick |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −3.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −3.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −3.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −3.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −3.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Gainesville, FL | Kennewick, WA | Kennewick pay in Gainesville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $56,430 | $100,380 | $97,024 (+71.9%) |
| Software Developers | $122,950 | $127,800 | $123,527 (+0.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,820 | $93,280 | $90,161 (+18.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,870 | $106,410 | $102,852 (+25.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.