City comparison
Kennewick, WA vs Tampa, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Kennewick, WA (100.1) and Tampa, FL (100.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Kennewick, WA goes as far as $100,800 in Tampa, FL.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,696 a month in Tampa, FL versus $1,268 in Kennewick, WA. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Tampa, FL and 19% in Kennewick, WA.
- 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 Tampa, FL changes real buying power by −0.8%, purely from prices.
- Kennewick, WA: price level 100.1 (about average)
- Tampa, FL: price level 100.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Kennewick, WA | Tampa, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,810 in Tampa | $99,196 in Kennewick |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,268/mo | $1,696/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% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $57,290 | $48,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Kennewick-Richland, WA MSA and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA. Metro areas: Kennewick-Richland, WA and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kennewick | Tampa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.8 | 125.8 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 95.5 |
| Utilities | 93.6 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 97.6 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kennewick, WA → Tampa, FL
Roughly even
Buying power −0.8%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
65 Fair offer
Tampa, FL → Kennewick, WA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
71 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 Kennewick, WA to Tampa, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kennewick, WA | Tampa, FL | Real change, Kennewick → Tampa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −0.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −0.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −0.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −0.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −0.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kennewick, WA | Tampa, FL | Tampa pay in Kennewick dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $100,380 | $60,120 | $59,637 (−40.6%) |
| Software Developers | $127,800 | $130,450 | $129,401 (+1.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $93,280 | $78,990 | $78,355 (−16.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,410 | $85,470 | $84,783 (−20.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.