City comparison
Gainesville, FL vs Merced, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Merced, CA are 1.6% higher than in Gainesville, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Gainesville, FL would need about $101,600 in Merced, CA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,246 a month in Gainesville, FL and $1,213 in Merced, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Merced, CA than in Gainesville, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +25.0% moving from Gainesville, FL to Merced, CA ($106,437 → $133,060), while prices change by +1.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +23.1% in real buying power.
- Gainesville, FL: price level 96.7 (cheaper)
- Merced, CA: price level 98.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Gainesville, FL | Merced, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.7 | 98.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,594 in Merced | $98,431 in Gainesville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,246/mo | $1,213/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,020 | $47,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Gainesville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Merced, CA MSA. Metro areas: Gainesville, FL and Merced, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Gainesville | Merced |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.0 | 78.6 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 158.3 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 96.7 | 98.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Gainesville, FL → Merced, CA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
64 Fair offer
Merced, CA → Gainesville, FL
Roughly even
Buying power +1.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
74 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Gainesville, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Merced, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Gainesville, FL to Merced, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Gainesville, FL | Merced, CA | Real change, Gainesville → Merced |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $77,161 | +23.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $93,358 | +23.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $111,896 | +23.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $133,060 | +23.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $157,236 | +23.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Gainesville, FL | Merced, CA | Merced pay in Gainesville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $56,430 | $100,120 | $98,549 (+74.6%) |
| Software Developers | $122,950 | $132,120 | $130,047 (+5.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,820 | $80,420 | $79,158 (+4.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,870 | $131,620 | $129,555 (+58.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.