City comparison
Modesto, CA vs Ocala, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Modesto, CA are 9.3% higher than in Ocala, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Ocala, FL would need about $109,300 in Modesto, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,356 a month in Modesto, CA versus $1,172 in Ocala, FL. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Modesto, CA and 18% in Ocala, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Modesto, CA than in Ocala, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −20.0% moving from Modesto, CA to Ocala, FL ($133,060 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −12.6% in real buying power.
- Modesto, CA: price level 104.1 (pricier)
- Ocala, FL: price level 95.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Modesto, CA | Ocala, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.1 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,476 in Ocala | $109,318 in Modesto |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,356/mo | $1,172/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,610 | $43,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Modesto, CA MSA and Ocala, FL MSA. Metro areas: Modesto, CA and Ocala, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Modesto | Ocala |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 108.5 | 86.2 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 152.3 | 87.1 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 104.1 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Modesto, CA → Ocala, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
98 Strong offer
Ocala, FL → Modesto, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.5%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
42 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Modesto, CA is in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA pay area; Ocala, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Modesto, CA to Ocala, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Modesto, CA | Ocala, FL | Real change, Modesto → Ocala |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $61,722 | −12.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $74,678 | −12.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $89,508 | −12.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $106,437 | −12.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $125,776 | −12.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Modesto, CA | Ocala, FL | Ocala pay in Modesto dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $101,640 | $57,540 | $62,902 (−38.1%) |
| Software Developers | $119,770 | $112,780 | $123,289 (+2.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,560 | $74,370 | $81,300 (−2.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $132,590 | $79,230 | $86,613 (−34.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.