City comparison
North Port, FL vs Philadelphia, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in North Port, FL (102.4) and Philadelphia, PA (102.6, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in North Port, FL goes as far as $100,100 in Philadelphia, PA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,686 a month in North Port, FL versus $1,520 in Philadelphia, PA. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in North Port, FL and 24% in Philadelphia, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Philadelphia, PA than in North Port, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.2% moving from North Port, FL to Philadelphia, PA ($106,437 → $117,284), while prices change by +0.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.0% in real buying power.
- North Port, FL: price level 102.4 (pricier)
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| North Port, FL | Philadelphia, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.4 | 102.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,134 in Philadelphia | $99,866 in North Port |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,686/mo | $1,520/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,440 | $54,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL MSA and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA. Metro areas: North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | North Port | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 128.0 | 113.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 114.4 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 103.1 |
| Overall | 102.4 | 102.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
North Port, FL → Philadelphia, PA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
68 Fair offer
Philadelphia, PA → North Port, FL
Roughly even
Buying power +0.1%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
North Port, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Philadelphia, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from North Port, FL to Philadelphia, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | North Port, FL | Philadelphia, PA | Real change, North Port → Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,013 | +10.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $82,289 | +10.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $98,630 | +10.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $117,284 | +10.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $138,595 | +10.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | North Port, FL | Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia pay in North Port dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,370 | $78,570 | $78,465 (+25.8%) |
| Software Developers | $131,890 | $133,040 | $132,862 (+0.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,090 | $85,990 | $85,875 (+5.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,130 | $101,180 | $101,045 (+17.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.