City comparison
Gainesville, FL vs Louisville, KY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Gainesville, FL are 3.9% higher than in Louisville, KY. Someone earning $100,000 in Louisville, KY would need about $103,900 in Gainesville, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,246 a month in Gainesville, FL versus $1,047 in Louisville, KY. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Gainesville, FL and 17% in Louisville, KY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,382 a year higher in Louisville, KY than in Gainesville, FL.
- 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 Louisville, KY changes real buying power by +3.9%, purely from prices.
- Gainesville, FL: price level 96.7 (cheaper)
- Louisville, KY: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Gainesville, FL | Louisville, KY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.7 | 93.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,217 in Louisville | $103,931 in Gainesville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,246/mo | $1,047/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,798 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $3,382 (KY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,020 | $48,370 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Gainesville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Louisville, KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Gainesville, FL and Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Gainesville | Louisville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.0 | 78.6 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 75.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 96.8 |
| Overall | 96.7 | 93.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Gainesville, FL → Louisville, KY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,382/yr.
81 Strong offer
Louisville, KY → Gainesville, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,382/yr.
57 Fair 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 Louisville, KY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Gainesville, FL | Louisville, KY | Real change, Gainesville → Louisville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +3.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +3.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +3.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +3.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +3.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Gainesville, FL | Louisville, KY | Louisville pay in Gainesville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $56,430 | $61,610 | $64,032 (+13.5%) |
| Software Developers | $122,950 | $110,270 | $114,605 (−6.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,820 | $76,320 | $79,320 (+4.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,870 | $84,850 | $88,186 (+7.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.