City comparison

Gainesville, FL vs Ogden, UT

What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.

Key findings

  • Prices in Ogden, UT are 3.7% higher than in Gainesville, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Gainesville, FL would need about $103,700 in Ogden, UT to live the same way.
  • Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,246 a month in Gainesville, FL and $1,281 in Ogden, UT.
  • On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,534 a year higher in Ogden, UT 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 Ogden, UT changes real buying power by −3.6%, purely from prices.
GainesvilleOgden
Price level (U.S. = 100):Under 9292–9898–102102–108Over 108
  • Gainesville, FL: price level 96.7 (cheaper)
  • Ogden, UT: price level 100.3 (about average)

Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.

Side by side

Gainesville, FLOgden, UT
Price level (U.S. = 100)296.7100.3
$100,000 is worth, in the other city2$103,738 in Ogden$96,397 in Gainesville
Typical 1-bedroom rent3$1,246/mo$1,281/mo
Take-home on $100,00014,15,8$79,180$75,646
State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8$0 (FL)$3,534 (UT)
Rent burden on $100,00019%20%
Median pay, all jobs4$47,020$48,900
Federal locality pay area7Rest of U.S.Rest of U.S.

Rent areas: Gainesville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Ogden, UT MSA. Metro areas: Gainesville, FL and Ogden, UT.

What costs more or less

Gainesville, FLOgden, UT
Price level (U.S. = 100)GainesvilleOgden
Housing (rent)93.0117.9
Goods96.296.4
Utilities88.278.8
Other services98.999.0
Overall96.7100.3
BEA Regional Price Parities2. Housing covers rents.

Moving with the same $100,000 salary

Gainesville, FL → Ogden, UT

Same pay buys less

Buying power −3.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,534/yr.

57 Fair offer

Ogden, UT → Gainesville, FL

Same pay goes further

Buying power +3.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,534/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 Ogden, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.

Grade5,2Gainesville, FLOgden, UTReal change, Gainesville → Ogden
GS-9 step 1$61,722$61,722−3.6%
GS-11 step 1$74,678$74,678−3.6%
GS-12 step 1$89,508$89,508−3.6%
GS-13 step 1$106,437$106,437−3.6%
GS-14 step 1$125,776$125,776−3.6%

Pay for common jobs

Median annual pay4Gainesville, FLOgden, UTOgden pay in Gainesville dollars
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$56,430$63,910$61,607 (+9.2%)
Software Developers$122,950$109,880$105,921 (−13.9%)
Accountants and Auditors$75,820$82,010$79,055 (+4.3%)
Registered Nurses$81,870$81,840$78,891 (−3.6%)

"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.

Check your own offer

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Taxes are estimates for a single filer taking the standard deduction; city and county income taxes are not included. See the methodology.

Notes & Sources

  1. U.S. Census Bureau, Metropolitan Statistical Area population estimates (Vintage 2025) (2025). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  2. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by MSA (MARPP), all items (2024). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  3. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents, 1-bedroom (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  4. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, metropolitan areas (2025). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  5. U.S. Office of Personnel Management, General Schedule (GS) pay rates with locality pay, 2026 (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  6. U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Locality codes used in the 2026 GS pay spreadsheet (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  7. U.S. Office of Personnel Management, 2026 Locality Pay Area Definitions (counties in each pay area) (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  8. Tax Foundation, State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets, 2026 (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  9. U.S. Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary file: states, 1:20,000,000 (2024) (2024). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  10. U.S. Census Bureau, Gazetteer file: core based statistical areas (2025) (2025). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  11. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, table C24010 (occupation of employed residents) by ZIP code area (2024). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  12. U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Tabulation Area relationship files (2020; Connecticut 2022) and Gazetteer locations (2025) (2025). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  13. U.S. Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary files (ZIP code areas 2020; counties and states 2024) and TIGER/Line primary roads (2024) (2024). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  14. Internal Revenue Service, Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (2026 tax brackets and standard deduction) (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  15. Internal Revenue Service, Publication 15 (Circular E), Employer's Tax Guide for 2026 (Social Security and Medicare) (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  16. U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, O*NET 31.0 Database: Job Titles (used under CC BY 4.0; O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA) (2026). Retrieved 2026-10-14.