City comparison
North Port, FL vs Reading, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in North Port, FL are 5.5% higher than in Reading, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Reading, PA would need about $105,500 in North Port, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,686 a month in North Port, FL versus $1,237 in Reading, PA. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in North Port, FL and 20% in Reading, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Reading, 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 Reading, PA ($106,437 → $117,284), while prices change by −5.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +16.3% in real buying power.
- North Port, FL: price level 102.4 (pricier)
- Reading, PA: 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
| North Port, FL | Reading, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.4 | 97.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,769 in Reading | $105,519 in North Port |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,686/mo | $1,237/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% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,440 | $49,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL MSA and Reading, PA MSA. Metro areas: North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL and Reading, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | North Port | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 128.0 | 85.4 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 108.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 102.4 | 97.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
North Port, FL → Reading, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.5%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
86 Strong offer
Reading, PA → North Port, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.2%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
52 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
North Port, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Reading, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from North Port, FL to Reading, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | North Port, FL | Reading, PA | Real change, North Port → Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,013 | +16.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $82,289 | +16.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $98,630 | +16.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $117,284 | +16.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $138,595 | +16.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | North Port, FL | Reading, PA | Reading pay in North Port dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,370 | $79,860 | $84,268 (+35.1%) |
| Software Developers | $131,890 | $120,920 | $127,594 (−3.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,090 | $75,550 | $79,720 (−1.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,130 | $98,470 | $103,905 (+20.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.