City comparison
Jacksonville, FL vs Olympia, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Olympia, WA are 4.2% higher than in Jacksonville, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Jacksonville, FL would need about $104,200 in Olympia, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,682 a month in Olympia, WA versus $1,382 in Jacksonville, FL. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Olympia, WA and 21% in Jacksonville, FL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in FL and $0 in WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.4% moving from Jacksonville, FL to Olympia, WA ($106,437 → $119,630), while prices change by +4.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.9% in real buying power.
- Jacksonville, FL: price level 99.5 (about average)
- Olympia, WA: price level 103.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Jacksonville, FL | Olympia, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.5 | 103.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,208 in Olympia | $95,962 in Jacksonville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,382/mo | $1,682/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 21% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,830 | $61,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Jacksonville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA MSA. Metro areas: Jacksonville, FL and Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jacksonville | Olympia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.8 | 116.7 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 87.5 | 91.7 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 99.5 | 103.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jacksonville, FL → Olympia, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.0%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
55 Fair offer
Olympia, WA → Jacksonville, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.2%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
82 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Jacksonville, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Olympia, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Jacksonville, FL to Olympia, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jacksonville, FL | Olympia, WA | Real change, Jacksonville → Olympia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,373 | +7.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,935 | +7.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,602 | +7.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $119,630 | +7.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $141,367 | +7.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jacksonville, FL | Olympia, WA | Olympia pay in Jacksonville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,080 | $104,650 | $100,424 (+64.4%) |
| Software Developers | $130,330 | $124,060 | $119,051 (−8.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,960 | $94,470 | $90,655 (+13.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,520 | $125,020 | $119,972 (+43.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.