City comparison
Ocala, FL vs Seattle, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Seattle, WA are 16.7% higher than in Ocala, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Ocala, FL would need about $116,700 in Seattle, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,146 a month in Seattle, WA versus $1,172 in Ocala, FL. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Seattle, WA and 18% in Ocala, FL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in FL and $0 in WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.4% moving from Ocala, FL to Seattle, WA ($106,437 → $119,630), while prices change by +16.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.7% in real buying power.
- Ocala, FL: price level 95.2 (cheaper)
- Seattle, WA: price level 111.1 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Ocala, FL | Seattle, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.2 | 111.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $116,695 in Seattle | $85,694 in Ocala |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,172/mo | $2,146/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,990 | $72,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Ocala, FL MSA and Seattle-Bellevue, WA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Ocala, FL and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ocala | Seattle |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.2 | 151.3 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 104.0 |
| Utilities | 87.1 | 92.8 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 106.8 |
| Overall | 95.2 | 111.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ocala, FL → Seattle, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.3%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
26 Weak offer
Seattle, WA → Ocala, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +16.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ocala, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Seattle, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Ocala, FL to Seattle, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ocala, FL | Seattle, WA | Real change, Ocala → Seattle |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,373 | −3.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,935 | −3.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,602 | −3.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $119,630 | −3.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $141,367 | −3.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ocala, FL | Seattle, WA | Seattle pay in Ocala dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,540 | $102,920 | $88,196 (+53.3%) |
| Software Developers | $112,780 | $167,280 | $143,348 (+27.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $74,370 | $99,370 | $85,154 (+14.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,230 | $128,260 | $109,911 (+38.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.