City comparison
Palm Bay, FL vs Philadelphia, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 2.5% higher than in Palm Bay, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Palm Bay, FL would need about $102,500 in Philadelphia, PA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,478 a month in Palm Bay, FL and $1,520 in Philadelphia, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Philadelphia, PA than in Palm Bay, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.4% moving from Palm Bay, FL to Philadelphia, PA ($107,228 → $117,284), while prices change by +2.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.7% in real buying power.
- Palm Bay, FL: price level 100.0 (about average)
- 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
| Palm Bay, FL | Philadelphia, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 102.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,549 in Philadelphia | $97,514 in Palm Bay |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,478/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 | 22% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,030 | $54,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL MSA and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA. Metro areas: Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Palm Bay | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.7 | 113.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 88.1 | 114.4 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 103.1 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 102.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Palm Bay, FL → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
61 Fair offer
Philadelphia, PA → Palm Bay, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.5%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
77 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Palm Bay, FL is in the Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL pay area; Philadelphia, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Palm Bay, FL to Philadelphia, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Palm Bay, FL | Philadelphia, PA | Real change, Palm Bay → Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,181 | $68,013 | +6.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,233 | $82,289 | +6.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,173 | $98,630 | +6.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,228 | $117,284 | +6.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,711 | $138,595 | +6.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Palm Bay, FL | Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia pay in Palm Bay dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,510 | $78,570 | $76,617 (+22.6%) |
| Software Developers | $131,760 | $133,040 | $129,733 (−1.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,860 | $85,990 | $83,853 (+10.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,900 | $101,180 | $98,665 (+22.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.