City comparison
Grand Rapids, MI vs Lakeland, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lakeland, FL are 1.7% higher than in Grand Rapids, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Grand Rapids, MI would need about $101,700 in Lakeland, FL to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,278 a month in Grand Rapids, MI and $1,230 in Lakeland, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,999 a year higher in Grand Rapids, MI than in Lakeland, 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 Grand Rapids, MI to Lakeland, FL changes real buying power by −1.6%, purely from prices.
- Grand Rapids, MI: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Lakeland, FL: price level 97.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Grand Rapids, MI | Lakeland, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 97.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,669 in Lakeland | $98,358 in Grand Rapids |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,278/mo | $1,230/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,570 | $46,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL MSA. Metro areas: Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI and Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Grand Rapids | Lakeland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 95.9 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 93.8 | 86.9 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 97.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Grand Rapids, MI → Lakeland, FL
Roughly even
Buying power −1.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,999/yr.
64 Fair offer
Lakeland, FL → Grand Rapids, MI
Roughly even
Buying power +1.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,999/yr.
74 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 Grand Rapids, MI to Lakeland, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Grand Rapids, MI | Lakeland, FL | Real change, Grand Rapids → Lakeland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −1.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −1.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −1.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −1.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −1.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Grand Rapids, MI | Lakeland, FL | Lakeland pay in Grand Rapids dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,900 | $50,420 | $49,592 (−19.9%) |
| Software Developers | $107,520 | $122,200 | $120,194 (+11.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,270 | $76,820 | $75,559 (−0.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,920 | $84,030 | $82,650 (−1.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.