City comparison
Ocala, FL vs Reading, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Reading, PA are 1.9% higher than in Ocala, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Ocala, FL would need about $101,900 in Reading, PA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,237 a month in Reading, PA versus $1,172 in Ocala, FL. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Reading, PA and 18% in Ocala, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Reading, PA than in Ocala, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.2% moving from Ocala, FL to Reading, PA ($106,437 → $117,284), while prices change by +1.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.1% in real buying power.
- Ocala, FL: price level 95.2 (cheaper)
- 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
| Ocala, FL | Reading, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.2 | 97.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,917 in Reading | $98,119 in Ocala |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,172/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 | 18% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,990 | $49,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Ocala, FL MSA and Reading, PA MSA. Metro areas: Ocala, FL and Reading, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ocala | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.2 | 85.4 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 87.1 | 108.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 95.2 | 97.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ocala, FL → Reading, PA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
63 Fair offer
Reading, PA → Ocala, FL
Roughly even
Buying power +1.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
75 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ocala, 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 Ocala, FL to Reading, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ocala, FL | Reading, PA | Real change, Ocala → Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,013 | +8.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $82,289 | +8.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $98,630 | +8.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $117,284 | +8.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $138,595 | +8.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ocala, FL | Reading, PA | Reading pay in Ocala dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,540 | $79,860 | $78,358 (+36.2%) |
| Software Developers | $112,780 | $120,920 | $118,645 (+5.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $74,370 | $75,550 | $74,129 (−0.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,230 | $98,470 | $96,617 (+21.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.