City comparison
Kiryas Joel, NY vs Lakeland, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Kiryas Joel, NY are 12.6% higher than in Lakeland, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Lakeland, FL would need about $112,600 in Kiryas Joel, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,549 a month in Kiryas Joel, NY versus $1,230 in Lakeland, FL. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Kiryas Joel, NY and 19% in Lakeland, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Kiryas Joel, NY than in Lakeland, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −15.1% moving from Kiryas Joel, NY to Lakeland, FL ($125,431 → $106,437), while prices change by −11.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.4% in real buying power.
- Kiryas Joel, NY: price level 109.4 (much pricier)
- 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
| Kiryas Joel, NY | Lakeland, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 109.4 | 97.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,776 in Lakeland | $112,642 in Kiryas Joel |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,549/mo | $1,230/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,990 | $46,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY MSA and Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL MSA. Metro areas: Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY and Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kiryas Joel | Lakeland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 115.8 | 95.9 |
| Goods | 110.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 136.8 | 86.9 |
| Other services | 106.5 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 109.4 | 97.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kiryas Joel, NY → Lakeland, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
100 Strong offer
Lakeland, FL → Kiryas Joel, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.2%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
37 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Kiryas Joel, NY is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Lakeland, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Kiryas Joel, NY to Lakeland, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kiryas Joel, NY | Lakeland, FL | Real change, Kiryas Joel → Lakeland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $61,722 | −4.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $74,678 | −4.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $89,508 | −4.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $106,437 | −4.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $125,776 | −4.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kiryas Joel, NY | Lakeland, FL | Lakeland pay in Kiryas Joel dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $81,770 | $50,420 | $56,794 (−30.5%) |
| Software Developers | $145,830 | $122,200 | $137,649 (−5.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,900 | $76,820 | $86,532 (−2.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $102,890 | $84,030 | $94,653 (−8.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.