City comparison
Gainesville, FL vs South Bend, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Gainesville, FL are 4.2% higher than in South Bend, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in South Bend, IN would need about $104,200 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 $1,105 in South Bend, IN. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Gainesville, FL and 17% in South Bend, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,921 a year higher in South Bend, IN 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 South Bend, IN changes real buying power by +4.2%, purely from prices.
- Gainesville, FL: price level 96.7 (cheaper)
- South Bend, IN: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Gainesville, FL | South Bend, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.7 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,994 in South Bend | $104,173 in Gainesville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,246/mo | $1,105/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,020 | $46,540 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Gainesville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Gainesville, FL and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Gainesville | South Bend |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.0 | 74.6 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 87.7 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.2 |
| Overall | 96.7 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Gainesville, FL → South Bend, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$2,921/yr.
82 Strong offer
South Bend, IN → Gainesville, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$2,921/yr.
56 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 South Bend, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Gainesville, FL | South Bend, IN | Real change, Gainesville → South Bend |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +4.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +4.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +4.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +4.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +4.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Gainesville, FL | South Bend, IN | South Bend pay in Gainesville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $56,430 | $58,180 | $60,608 (+7.4%) |
| Software Developers | $122,950 | $95,500 | $99,485 (−19.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,820 | $77,940 | $81,192 (+7.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,870 | $93,540 | $97,443 (+19.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.