City comparison
Gainesville, FL vs McAllen, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Gainesville, FL are 12.6% higher than in McAllen, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in McAllen, TX would need about $112,600 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 $847 in McAllen, TX. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Gainesville, FL and 13% in McAllen, TX.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in FL and $0 in TX.
- 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 McAllen, TX changes real buying power by +12.6%, purely from prices.
- Gainesville, FL: price level 96.7 (cheaper)
- McAllen, TX: price level 85.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Gainesville, FL | McAllen, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.7 | 85.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,796 in McAllen | $112,618 in Gainesville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,246/mo | $847/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 | 19% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,020 | $35,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Gainesville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX MSA. Metro areas: Gainesville, FL and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Gainesville | McAllen |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.0 | 55.9 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 81.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 96.7 | 85.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Gainesville, FL → McAllen, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.6%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
100 Strong offer
McAllen, TX → Gainesville, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.2%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
38 Weak 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 McAllen, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Gainesville, FL | McAllen, TX | Real change, Gainesville → McAllen |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +12.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +12.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +12.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +12.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +12.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Gainesville, FL | McAllen, TX | McAllen pay in Gainesville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $56,430 | $63,110 | $71,073 (+25.9%) |
| Software Developers | $122,950 | $116,120 | $130,772 (+6.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,820 | $64,470 | $72,605 (−4.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,870 | $80,540 | $90,702 (+10.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.