City comparison
Kennewick, WA vs Lakeland, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Kennewick, WA are 3.0% higher than in Lakeland, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Lakeland, FL would need about $103,000 in Kennewick, WA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,268 a month in Kennewick, WA and $1,230 in Lakeland, FL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in WA and $0 in 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 Kennewick, WA to Lakeland, FL changes real buying power by +3.0%, purely from prices.
- Kennewick, WA: price level 100.1 (about average)
- 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
| Kennewick, WA | Lakeland, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 97.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,064 in Lakeland | $103,024 in Kennewick |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,268/mo | $1,230/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $57,290 | $46,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Kennewick-Richland, WA MSA and Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL MSA. Metro areas: Kennewick-Richland, WA and Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kennewick | Lakeland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.8 | 95.9 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 93.6 | 86.9 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 97.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kennewick, WA → Lakeland, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
78 Strong offer
Lakeland, FL → Kennewick, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
60 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 Kennewick, WA to Lakeland, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kennewick, WA | Lakeland, FL | Real change, Kennewick → Lakeland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +3.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +3.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +3.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +3.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +3.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kennewick, WA | Lakeland, FL | Lakeland pay in Kennewick dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $100,380 | $50,420 | $51,945 (−48.3%) |
| Software Developers | $127,800 | $122,200 | $125,896 (−1.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $93,280 | $76,820 | $79,143 (−15.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,410 | $84,030 | $86,571 (−18.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.