City comparison
Las Vegas, NV vs Palm Bay, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Las Vegas, NV (100.2) and Palm Bay, FL (100.0, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Las Vegas, NV goes as far as $99,800 in Palm Bay, FL.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,478 a month in Las Vegas, NV and $1,478 in Palm Bay, FL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in NV and $0 in FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.4% moving from Las Vegas, NV to Palm Bay, FL ($108,719 → $107,228), while prices change by −0.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.2% in real buying power.
- Las Vegas, NV: price level 100.2 (about average)
- Palm Bay, FL: price level 100.0 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Las Vegas, NV | Palm Bay, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.2 | 100.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,790 in Palm Bay | $100,210 in Las Vegas |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,478/mo | $1,478/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NV) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,670 | $49,030 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL |
Rent areas: Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV MSA and Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL MSA. Metro areas: Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV and Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Las Vegas | Palm Bay |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 115.5 | 111.7 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 90.6 | 88.1 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 100.2 | 100.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Las Vegas, NV → Palm Bay, FL
Roughly even
Buying power +0.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
69 Fair offer
Palm Bay, FL → Las Vegas, NV
Roughly even
Buying power −0.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Las Vegas, NV is in the Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ pay area; Palm Bay, FL is in Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL. The last column shows what a transfer from Las Vegas, NV to Palm Bay, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Las Vegas, NV | Palm Bay, FL | Real change, Las Vegas → Palm Bay |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,046 | $62,181 | −1.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,280 | $75,233 | −1.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,427 | $90,173 | −1.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,719 | $107,228 | −1.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,473 | $126,711 | −1.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Las Vegas, NV | Palm Bay, FL | Palm Bay pay in Las Vegas dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,040 | $62,510 | $62,641 (−3.7%) |
| Software Developers | $129,940 | $131,760 | $132,037 (+1.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,530 | $75,860 | $76,019 (−5.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,940 | $80,900 | $81,070 (−22.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.